Memorial of St. Cecilia (Virgin and Martyr)
Theme: Be watchful
Today the church celebrates the memorial of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians; she was a virgin and martyr. As we celebrate her memorial today, we are all encouraged to embrace her purity of life and faith in God. It is such that she willingly gave her life for her belief. We all need this type of faith and courage in our lives, taking into consideration the readings we have today. Both readings remind us about the end time. In the 1st reading from the Book of Revelation, it talks about the harvest time, the time of reaping; reminding us about the end time. The emphasis on the end time is as a result of the fact that this is the last week of this liturgical year. It is an opportunity for us to do some stock taking and strive for holiness of life, so that there will be no reason to be scared about the end or be vulnerable to the manipulations of some men of God.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus said it all in the gospel reading of today. We have to be careful and mindful of people who will use the happenings in the world as a tool through which they manipulate other people for their personal gains. The most important thing we have to do and be conscious of at this time, is to be watchful and try to live a good life. The life of St. Cecilia whose memorial we celebrate today, should we a source of great strength to all of us as children of God. She lived for what she believed in, and willingly gave her life for it.
In the same way we are all encouraged to build our faith in God and strive to live a virtuous life, just like she did, and our reward will be great in heaven. It is a sacrifice that is worth taking and will be greatly rewarded by God himself. Do not allow any situation in your life to deny you of making such a bold step. Just know that you can do it, do your best and trust in good. You don’t need to be perfect, just be a better person every day and you will be fine.
Dearly beloved in Christ, as we continue to strive to become a better person, may almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.