+ We have little reliable information about the martyr Agatha, other
than that she was young, beautiful and rich. We also know that she lived a life
consecrated to God. When Decius announced edicts against Christians in the late
second century, a local magistrate tried to profit by Agatha’s sanctity by
attempting to blackmail her into sex in exchange for not charging her. And so
she was handed over to a brothel but refused to accept customers. She was
eventually tortured to death in 225, but not before the magistrate who tried to
use her was crushed by an earthquake. Legend says that carrying her veil, taken
from her tomb in Catania, in procession, has averted eruptions of Mount Etna.
Her intercession is reported to have saved Malta from Turkish invasion in
1551.
The
gospel passage today tells us that we must be relentless in
professing the faith of the Church in the face of any opposition, so that the
Father in heaven will be relentless in showing us mercy, compassion and love!
In
all of her trials St. Agatha prayed over and over again: O Jesus Christ, all that I am is Yours;
preserve me against the tyrant! May this be our prayer today, and every
day, because we likewise mean it and live it!
Into
your hands, Lord, we commend our spirits!
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