Readings — Is. 58:1-9; Ps. 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19; Mt. 9:14-15.
1. Vivia Perpetua was a well educated young lady from a noble family in Carthage, Africa, now modern Tunisia. She lived during the Christian persecution of Emperor Severus in the 3rd century. Thanks to her own account, The Passion of St. Perpetua, St. Felicitas, and their Companions, completed by a Christian witness, we know more of today's Saints than through legends.
Despite the persecution, Perpetua decided in 203 to follow her mother and become a Christian. Fearing for her life, her pagan father tried to dissuade her. She was a young widow of 22 and was nursing a baby son. She had, therefore, many reasons to live. But she told her father, "I cannot call myself by any other name than what I am — a Christian."
2. Perpetua was arrested with Saturninus, Secundulus, and 2 slaves — Felicitas and Revodatus. Their instructor in the faith, Saturus, chose to share their imprisonment. Perpetua was baptized before she was taken to prison. She was known as a visionary and she received messages from God. The Lord told her to pray for endurance in the faith.
She faced many trials. She stayed in a crowded prison, suffered intense heat, pushing and shoving by cruel guards. She suffered the most pain of being separated from her baby. The young slave, Felicitas, suffered even worse. She was 8 months pregnant and the cruelty of soldiers did not spare her.
3. Her mother and brother were able to visit Perpetua and bring her baby to her. When her father tried again to persuade her, she said that it was not in her power but "in the power of God." The judge also failed to persuade her. Together with the others, she was sentenced to be thrown to wild beasts in the arena.
4. At prayer in prison, she had a vision of a ladder leading to heaven with the devil in dragon form scaring those who wish to go up. In the vision, she saw her mentor, Saturus, go up. From heaven he said to Perpetua that he will wait for her. She traveled up to heaven and saw an old shepherd who welcomed her. She told the vision to her brother, understanding that they must suffer.
5. Meanwhile, Felicitas was in torment. She feared that she would not become a martyr, because it was against the law to execute a pregnant woman. But 2 days before their execution, she endured painful labor, as she gave birth to a baby girl. The guards mocked her, saying that she would suffer more from the wild beasts. She responded that Christ would be suffering for her in the arena. Seeing the faith of those in prison, the warden later on became a Christian.
6. As Perpetua, Felicitas, and their three companions (Secundulus had died in prison) were led into the arena, the crowd taunted them to wear white robes to honor their pagan gods, but Perpetua said that they would die as Christians. The men were thrown to bears and leopards, while Perpetua and Felicitas were stripped to be attacked by a raging bull. But the crowd cried out for the attack to stop. Perpetua and Felicitas were clothed again.
Perpetua cried out to her brother, "Stand fast for the faith, and love one another." Perpetua and Felicitas were killed by sword. They are the patron saints of expectant mothers. Their names are mentioned in Eucharictic Prayer I.
7. 1st Reading, Is. 58:1-9 — True Fasting. Isaiah condemns the Israelites' formalism in fasting. Their bowing, using sackcloth and ashes while fasting have no meaning for the Lord. For they continue to oppress laborers, quarrel and fight (vv. 1-5). God accepts fasting that is characterized by social justice, freeing the oppressed, sharing with the hungry, taking care of the afflicted, clothing the naked, providing a home for the homeless (vv. 6-7). Such fasting is acceptable to the Lord. "Then you shall cry for help, and the Lord will say, 'Here I am!'" (vv. 8-9).
8. Resp. Ps. 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19 — See David's famous lament of repentance in "Thoughts to Live by: Ash Wednesday."
9. Gospel, Mt. 9:14-15 — A Question of Fasting. The disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, while your disciples do not fast?" (v. 14).
Jesus responds. "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast" (v. 15). Jesus' saying refers to the in-between time — the time between his Ascension into heaven and the time of his Second Coming.
10. Prayer — Show gracious favor, O Lord, we pray, to the works of bodily penance we have begun, that we may have strength to accomplish with sincerity the bodily observances we undertake. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. (Collect of today's Mass).
Prayers, best wishes, God bless!