In Memoriam 09/11/2001

For those who remember, on this day 3,000 of our fellow Americans, who had committed no crime and harmed no one, were murdered by a band of barbarous terrorists who were convinced that paradise would be there's if they slaughtered the "infidel". But this journal is not about the murderers, it's about those 3,000 people who died.

They were innocent. They had done nothing to nobody. Yet, they were murdered.

Many said they weren't innocent. A college professor wrote an essay that compared them to the infamous Nazi mass murderer Adolf Eichmann, and their killers didn't see them as innocent because they were "non-believers". But they were innocent, just ordinary men and women who were doing their jobs, oblivious to the hell that was about to be unleashed.

We must never forget them. They still need us. They need us to never forget what transpired, to honor their memory. They need us to pray for their souls so they may enjoy the bliss of heaven, and they need us to make sure such a massacre may never happen again.

Oremus
Father, hear us as we pray for those who died on this terrible day. Bring then into your heavenly abode that they may praise you with all the angels and saints who have done your will throughout the ages. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis Dómine;
et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace.
Amen.

Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

St. Agatha died in defense of her purity, in Catania, Sicily, where she was born. After Quintanus, the governor of Sicily, tried in vain to force her to consent to sin, she was imprisoned for a month with an evil woman. He then turned from sensuality to cruelty and had her breasts cut off; but that night Agatha was healed by St. Peter. She was then rolled over sharp stones and burning coals, and finally taken to prison where she died while praying. Her name appears in the Roman Canon.

It still amazes me the things that our revered martyrs were able to endure for the faith.  Here's a woman who took her purity to heart so much that she was willing to be tortured and mutilated and finally killed rather than consent to sexual sin.  If only more people in this world had that kind of dedication to their purity, that they are willing to endure any hardship to keep it.

St. Agatha, ora pro nobis!

Memorial of St. Agnes, Martyr

From CatholicCulture.org:

St. Agnes (c. 304) like St. Cecilia, is to be numbered among the most famous martyrs of Rome. When the Diocletian persecution was at its height, and when priests as well as laymen were apostatizing from the faith, Agnes, a girl of twelve, freely chose to die for Christ. When she was commanded to offer incense to false gods, she raised her hand to Christ and made the Sign of the Cross. When the heathens threatened to bind her hand and foot, she herself hastened to the place of torture as a bride to her wedding feast. Pain had no terror for her—although the fetters slipped from her small hands while even the pagan bystanders were moved to tears.

When the son of the Roman prefect offered to marry her, she replied: "The one to whom I am betrothed is Christ Whom the angels serve." When the executioner, who was to behead her, hesitated, she encouraged him with the words: "Strike, without fear, for the bride does her Spouse an injury if she makes Him wait". The name of "Agnes" means "lamb-life," and hence the lamb is the symbol of the modesty and innocence of the virgin-martyr.

Prayer
Let us gain courage for our own battle by honoring the martyrdom of the glorious virgin Agnes. St. Agnes, vessel of honor, flower of unfading fragrance, beloved of the choirs of Angels, you are an example to the worth of virtue and chastity. O you who wear a Martyr's palm and a virgin's wreath, pray for us that, though unworthy of a special crown, we may have our names written in the list of Saints.

All: Alleluia