St. Cecilia is one of the most famous Roman martyrs. She is
the patron saint of musicians; stained glass windows often depict her holding a
harp or playing the organ or violin.
She was daughter of wealthy Roman parents, a Christian from
birth. As was the custom, she was promised in marriage to a man, a pagan named
Valerian. Cecilia, however, had vowed her virginity to God, and wore sackcloth,
fasted and prayed in hopes of keeping this promise. Saint Cecilia disclosed her
wishes to her husband on their wedding night. She told Valerian that an angel
watched over her to guard her purity. Quite skeptical, Valerian asked to see
the angel, so St. Cecilia sent him to the Pope. Accounts of how and when
Valerian saw the angel vary, but one states that he was baptized by the Pope,
and, upon his return to Saint Cecilia, they were both given heavenly crowns by
an angel. Another version recounts that Valerian's brother, sees the crowns and
he too is converted.
The two brothers then make it their mission to bury
Christian martyrs put to death by the prefect of the city. In turn, they were
brought in front of the prefect and sentenced to death by the sword. Cecilia,
in the meantime, continued to make many conversions, but finally, she too was
arrested and brought before the prefect. He ruled that she should die by
suffocation in the baths. Saint Cecilia was locked into the bathhouse and the
fires vigorously stoked. She remained there for a day and a night but was still
alive when the soldiers opened the doors. She was then ordered beheaded, but
the executioner, after striking three times without severing St Cecilia's head,
ran away, leaving her badly wounded.
St. Cecilia hung onto life for three days after the mortal blows,
preaching, and singing God’s praises. This is why she is the patron saint of
music.
What a powerful image: St. Cecilia, the martyr, singing
praises even as she suffered. She witnesses to God in her consecrated virginity
and purity throughout life, and makes her death into a song of adoration to
him.
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. Yesterday, in our reading from 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. 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.”
All throughout the scriptures God’s people are known for
their singing. The people of God sing.
After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of
Israel sang a song to the Lord (Exod. 15). Singing was part of Israel's formal
worship in both tabernacle and temple (1 Chron. 6:31-32, 16:42). The Psalms
bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the faithful
raise their voices in song to God. Hymn singing was practiced by Jesus and his
disciples (Matt. 26:30).
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.
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