MEMORIAL OF ST CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.

MEMORIAL OF ST CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR. 

"Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, 

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother?

 

"Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.

 Then the second and the third married her, 

and likewise all the seven died childless.

"Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.”

"Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

"They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

"That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 

and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

"Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything." (Luke 20: 27 - 40).

Saturday 22nd November 2025 in the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Cecilia. Italian. (+ 3rd century). Virgin and Martyr.

Cecilia came from a noble Roman family. She was betrothed to Valerian, a noble Roman gentleman. Cecilia convinced Valerian to respect her perpetual vow of chastity. She also led Valerian to embrace Christ and Christianity. Valerian gave his life to Christ as a martyr.

St Cecilia was tortured and left to die slowly. 

St Cecilia is the patron saint of music and musicians. Her name is mentioned in the Roman Canon.

Music plays a central role in the worship and liturgy of the Church. St Augustine says that to sing is to pray twice. Let us thank God for the gift of music.

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus demolished the proud argument of the Sadducees about after life and the Resurrection of the dead. 

"That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

The lesson from this is:

Know the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church and you will be a Hammer of Heretics like St Catherine of Alexandria, St Augustine and St Anthony of Padua.

Even if you have to die, says the Lord, keep faithful, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2: 10).

St Cecilia pray for us. 

The month of November is traditionally dedicated in the Catholic Church to honoring the dead and relieving the sufferings of the souls in purgatory. Do not neglect your loved ones. 

Clement of Alexandria: 

“The believer through discipline divests himself of his passions and passes to the mansion which is better than the former one, passes to the greatest torment… the greatest torments are assigned to the believer… these punishments cease in the course of the expiation and purification of each one.” 

For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-assist-poor-souls-in.html