Historically today is the feast of St. Juliana, a Christian virgin of Cumae, Italy, martyred for the faith when she refused to marry a Roman prefect. She suffered terrible ordeals and was finally beheaded. One tradition reports that Juliana actually suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia and that her relics were transferred to Cumae. It is also the feast of St. Onesimus martyr and former slave. He is mentioned in St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon as the slave of Philemon in Colossae, Phrygia, who ran away.

St. Juliana
St. Juliana suffered martyrdom during the Diocletian persecution. Both the Latin and Greek Churches mention a holy martyr Juliana in their lists of saints. The oldest historical notice of her is found in the “Martryologium Hieronymianum” for 16 February, the place of birth being given as Cumae in Campania (In Campania Cumbas, natale Julianae). It is true that the notice is contained only in the one chief manuscript of the above-named martyrology (the Codex Epternacensis), but that this notice is certainly authentic is clear from a letter of St. Gregory the Great, which testifies to the special veneration of St. Juliana in the neighbourhood of Naples. A pious matron named Januaria built a church on one of her estates, for the consecration of which she desired relics (sanctuaria, that is to say, objects which had been brought into contact with the graves) of Sts. Severinus and Juliana. Gregory wrote to Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples, telling him to accede to the wishes of Januaria (“Gregorii Magni epist.”, lib. IX, ep. xxxv, in Migne P.L., LXXXVII, 1015).

The Acts of St. Juliana used by Bede in his “Martyrologium” are purely legendary. According to the account given in this legend, St. Juliana lived in Nicomedia and was betrothed to the Senator Eleusius. Her father Africanus was a pagan and hostile to the Christians. In the persecution of Maximianus, Juliana was beheaded after suffering frightful torturers. Soon after a noble lady, named Sephonia, came through Nicomedia and took the saint’s body with her to Italy, and had it buried in Campania. Evidently it was this alleged translation that caused the martyred Juliana, honoured in Nicomedia, to be identified with St. Juliana of Cumae, although they are quite distinct persons. The veneration of St. Juliana of Cumae became very widespread, especially in the Netherlands. At the beginning of the thirteenth century her remains were transferred to Naples. The description of this translation by a contemporary writer is still extant. The feast of the saint is celebrated in the Latin Church on 16 February, in the Greek on 21 December. Her Acts describe the conflicts which she is said to have with the devil; she is represented in pictures with a winged devil whom she leads by a chain.

— Excerpted from The Catholic Encyclopedia

St. Onesimus
St. Onesimus was a slave to Philemon, an influential man who had been converted by St. Paul. Onesimus offended Philemon and fled in order to escape any sort of retribution. He then met St. Paul while Paul was in a Roman prison. Shortly after, Onesimus was baptized.

Paul then sent a letter to Philemon asking for Onesimus’ freedom, so Onesimus could become one of his own assistants. This letter is the Epistle to Philemon and entreats Philemon to accept Onesimus “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me.”

Philemon pardoned Onesimus and he returned to faithfully serve St. Paul. We know that St. Paul made him, with Tychicus, the bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians. (Col. 4:7-9)

Later, as St. Jerome and other fathers testify, he became an ardent preacher of the Gospel and succeeded St. Timothy as bishop of Ephesus.

He was cruelly tortured in Rome, for 18 days, by a governor who was infuriated by his preaching on the merit of celibacy. Onesimus’ legs and thighs were broken with bludgeons before he was stoned to death.

His martyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 90.

Excerpted from Catholic News Agency

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-02-16

Meditation: Genesis 3:9-24

Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Lord God made leather garments, with which he clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

This conversation between God and our first parents sounds a little ominous, doesn’t it? When you hear God call, “Where are you?” you might picture an angry parent, ready to punish his wayward children (Genesis 3:9). Maybe you remember similar times when you had to own up to something, like speeding on the highway or lying to your spouse. But that’s only if we read this story quickly. A closer read shows a God who is concerned for his creation and who takes care of his children even in their failures.

Notice first that God doesn’t begin by correcting Adam and Eve. He first seeks them out. He asks, “Where are you?” even though he knows exactly where they are. His question is aimed more at the couple—they are the ones who don’t realize that they are lost. So he calls out, asking them to come back to him. Then, after telling them what they have brought upon themselves by their sin, he immediately speaks words of hope: one of the woman’s offspring will strike at the head of the serpent, finally removing the one who caused all the trouble.

Next, we see God caring not only about their future redemption but about their present situation. Seeing their feeble attempt to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, he clothes them properly with leather garments. What a beautiful image! A father clothing his children because they aren’t yet able to do it themselves.

Finally, God banishes them from the garden and places angels to protect them from the tree of life. Like a parent who wants to keep a child from burning his hand a second time, God prevents them from losing their way forever. He chooses not to destroy the tree of life; he still keeps the possibility of eternal life open for them when they are ready to eat its fruit.

This same God who loved our first parents loves you just as much. Even today, he is calling out to you, asking you to come back to him. Even today, he will forgive your sins and clothe you with the dignity of a child of God. Even today, he will help you steer clear of temptation Where are you?

“Father, keep drawing me back to you so that I can be safe by your side.”

Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13
Mark 8:1-10

https://wau.org/meditations/