One of the things that I have always loved about the Catholic faith, going way back to my childhood when my mom decided to try her hand at homeschooling as I was going into the 7th grade, is the glorious company of the saints. The early martyrs, especially, captivate me. It is an inspiration to consider their lives and realize that we have, in them, proof that we sinful men, by the grace of God, can indeed achieve the Beatific Vision. They are heroes in the truest sense. I revel in their humanity, a nature shared with each of us and with Our Lord. Above all I love that they live now to intercede for us. And I really love the sense of humor embedded in the sensus fidelium. St. Lawrence, anyone? The man gives his life for Christ by being slow roasted and becomes patron saint of… cooks.
Dig Those Chompers!
Along those lines we encounter a marvelous saint to whom I have frequently had recourse. This morning I took my daughter to the dentist. She was concerned about an erupting molar. Was it a wisdom tooth? At 13 she is a little young for those but it’s not impossible. After taking X-rays, the dentist sat her in the chair and looked inside her mouth. “Flawless,” he said, or something to that effect. “I can tell you brush often.” It is true. She takes good care of her teeth. “Wait until you meet her brother in a few weeks,” I said. Boys… After checking out of the dentist’s office, I headed off to Mass. A little rushed because of traffic, I slipped into the back of the church and grabbed a seat next to my mother-in-law. As Father ascended the altar steps, I flipped through my missal. By the way, Feds, that’s m-i-s-s-a-l. It’s a prayer book. Anyway, I came across today’s saint – Cyril of Alexandria. Cyril was a bishop and Doctor of the Church who defended the Blessed Mother’s Divine Maternity against the Nestorians.
But burried down beneath the Introit was a note that today is also the commemoration of my girl, St. Apollonia! Apollonia was beaten by the persecutors of the faith; beaten to the extent her teeth were either all knocked out or literally plucked out with pliers. A fire was lit to threaten her and break her spirit. Apollonia, knowing she would never renounce her faith – the Traditional Catholic faith – jumped into the fire and gave her life to Christ. All this happened in the year 249. She is the patron of dentists. Ha ha. Manys-a-time I have invoked her prayers during a root canal.
Side note: one might wonder why the “reformed” Roman Calendar of NuChurch eliminated the public celebration of so many of these ancient martyrs. It’s almost as if they don’t want us to learn from their example or something.
Don’t You Just Hate Being Left Out?
And then there’s Gary V. He must be beside himself that Mike Matt and the Fatima Center were both specifically named in that FBI memo yesterday and he was not. Poor Gar’. First Clairol stopped making Nordic Blonde #10B and now this. That’s gotta’ smart, man.
Once again, much thanks to my friend Andrew at St. Luke’s Gallery for sharing beautiful and inspiring art.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 