Homily: November 22 - St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr - Making one's life into a hymn of adoration to God

St. Cecilia is one of the most famous Roman martyrs.  She was committed to lifelong virginity. 

St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians; stained glass windows often depict her holding a harp or playing the organ or violin.

The legend goes that she was arrested and sentenced to death because of her faith.  Her executioner botched his worked as he tried to behead her.  He gave-up after failing to behead her multiple times.  Cecilia lingered, and as she lay dying for three days, she sang Gods praises.  In pain, dying, she praised God.

What a powerful image: the St. Cecilia, the martyr, singing praise to God as she goes to her death to witness to Him.  She witnesses to God in her consecrated virginity and purity throughout life, and makes her death into a song of adoration to him.

We are all called to make our lives into a song of adoration to God.

The preface prayer for the feasts of the martyrs refers to the “new song of adoration” which all of creation will sing in praise of God in the new heaven, which the martyrs foreshadow in this life.  In the book of Revelations, John’s vision shows 144,000 saints in heaven, singing a hymn before the throne of God and playing their harps. 

St. Augustine describing the Christian life once said, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.”  

The Christian life witnessing to the victory of Christ over sin and death is to be a song which resounds to all corners of the world.  Whether in good times or in bad, in times of suffering, or in times of joy our life is to be a hymn to God.  It is Christ’s victory over death, which enables us to sing alleluia even in the face of martyrdom.

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them, “ be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Through the intercession of St. Cecilia, may all we do today be transformed into a hymn of praise to our God, that all of our thoughts, words, and deeds, might be harmonized with Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.