Subj : January 19th - Saint Absadah of Egypt To : All From : rich Date : Fri Jan 18 2019 08:22:58 From: rich January 19th - Saint Absadah of Egypt (dates unknown, circa 300) January 19 marks the feast day of Saint Absadah of Egypt. Absadah was born in Behnesa, Egypt at the height of the Diocletianic persecution of Christians, also known as the Great Persecution. During his rule, Emperor Diocletian, building upon the rules first implemented by Emperor Decius, actively implemented laws to dissuade Christians from preaching their faith, believing their faith, and living their faith. Christians were stripped of their possessions, discharged from the armed forces, and relocated. Christians were forced to participate in pagan sacrifices and rituals and to renounce their faith. Punishment of disobeying these laws included arrest, torture, and death. However, this was also a time of great Catholic martyrs=E2=80=94those individuals wh= o lived their faith, and as a result, died for their faith. Without exception, these martyrs went to their deaths without defending themselves in a variety of manners, including burning, beheading, and being torn apart by wild animals. While the Emperor hoped their deaths would discourage the practice of Christianity, the curious calm and conviction of faith of these great martyrs only served to spread the faith throughout the Roman Empire. It is estimated that nearly 3,000 Christians were killed for their faith during this great persecution. Saint Absadah was a priest of the Church in Egypt, where the persecution of Christians had not yet reached. He feared the unavoidable onset of persecution, however, and was generally consumed by his anxiety. When official decrees announced the laws of the Roman Empire in Egypt, Absadah barricaded himself in his home, planning to hide from persecution, and losing faith in the protection of the Lord. For him, at that moment, Christianity became an inconvenience. Miraculously, Jesus appeared to Absadah, unhindered by the barricade and locks on the doors. His message, spoken, was quite plain: "No security can repel me, Absadah, and no persecution can truly kill me for I am the resurrection and the life." Absadah realized that to hide was to deny Jesus, the Catholic faith, and the protection of the Resurrection. Absadah left his home and turned himself into the authorities. He was tried in court in Alexandria, found guilty of believing in an =E2=80=9Cunapproved power,=E2= =80=9D and sentenced to death. Absadah was beheaded outside the city before a crowd of onlookers who were moved by his faith, conviction, and courage. The early martyrs of the Church faced persecution and death for their beliefs. They held firm to the convictions of their faith, namely that the Son of God, executed for our sins, would protect them in the Resurrection of the body, just as He has been resurrected. The life of Absadah reminds us that Jesus has already won victory for us over any struggle, sin, or persecution we suffer, as long as we trust Him and put our faith in the Lord. How often do we think we can solve life'= s problems=E2=80=94both the tiny daily struggles and the larger concerns? We sweat and worry and focus on our solutions, rather than turning to the Lord. Today, we pray for the faith of Absadah=E2=80=94faith in the resurrection and the life. Saint Quote: The garden of the Lord, brethren, includes--yes, it truly includes--includes not only the roses of martyrs but also the lilies of virgins, and the ivy of married people, and the violets of widows. There is absolutely no kind of human beings, my dearly beloved, who need to despair of their vocation; Christ suffered for all. It was very truly written about him: who wishes all men to be saved, and to come to the acknowledgment of the truth. -- Saint Augustine of Hippo Future Glory 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.=C2 [Romans 8:18] RSVCE <><><><> O Lord Our God O Lord our God, what sins I have this day committed in word, deed, or thought, forgive me, for You are gracious, and You love all men. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep, send me Your guardian angel to protect and guard me from every evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and to You we ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. - Amen --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .