Nov 25 – Memorial for St. Catherine of Alexandria, virgin, martyr
St. Catherine (d. 305) was a noble who was learned in science and oratory. After receiving a vision, she converted to Christianity. At the age of 18, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximus had her scourged and imprisoned.
The empress and the leader of Maximus’ army were amazed by the stories and went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximus ordered her broken on the wheel, but when she touched it, the wheel was destroyed. She was then beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels.
Catherine was immensely popular during the Middle Ages, and there were many chapels and churches devoted to her throughout western Europe. She was reported as one of the divine advisors to St. Joan of Arc. Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of libraries, librarians, teachers, archivists, and anyone associated with wisdom or teaching. Her debating skill and persuasive language has led to her patronage of lawyers. And her torture on the wheel has led to those who work with them asking for her intercession. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
While there may well have been a noble, educated, virginal lady who swayed pagans with her rhetoric during the persecutions, the accretion of legend, romance and poetry has long since buried the real Catherine.
The Fourteen Holy Helpers are a group of saints invoked with special confidence because they have proven themselves efficacious helpers in adversity and difficulties. Though each has a separate feast or memorial day, the group was collectively venerated on Aug 8, until the feast was dropped and suppressed in the 1969 reform of the calendar.
They are invoked as a group because of the Black Plague which devastated Europe from 1346-1349. Among its symptoms were the tongue turning black, a parched throat, violent headache, fever, and boils on the abdomen. It attacked without warning, robbed its victims of reason, and killed within a few hours; many died without the last Sacraments. Brigands roamed the roads, people suspect of contagion were attacked, animals died, people starved, whole villages vanished into the grave, social order and family ties broke down, and the disease appeared incurable. The pious turned to Heaven, begging the intervention of the saints, praying to be spared or cured. This group devotion began in Germany, and the tradition has remained strong there.
- Patron Saint Index
1 Mac 6:1-13
Lk 20:27-40
“The Lord is the God of the Living not of the dead ”
I attend the 7am Sunday mass at Church of St Francis Xavier (SFX). Father Nathaniel was our assistant parish priest and he recently transferred to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on 1 October.
Father Nat always began his Sunday homily with a joke. One of his best tells the story of the devil visiting an old man. “In a few days, your soul is mine for eternity” said the devil. The man remains nonchalant, which irks the devil. “Why are you not afraid ?” the devil asks. The old man delivers the punchline, “You see Mr Devil, I am ready. For fifty years I have been married to your sister!” The roars of raptuous laughter were genuine and never repeated since.
In today’s gospel, the Sadducees asked Jesus a question on marriage to disconcert him. They also wanted to prove that Resurrection did not exist. The subject matter is the well-known paradox of the 7 brothers and the wife of the eldest brother. Her husband died without any offspring. Moses’s law required one of the brothers to marry the widow and raise offspring for the deceased husband. She eventually marries all of them, as each previous union is barren. After they all die, and at the Resurrection, who will the wife belong to?
I actually find this ‘test question’ ingeniously crafted. The belief in the Resurrection must be false if the result is so absurd! Since the Saduccees only believe in the first 5 books of the Torah, Jesus silenced them by quoting specifically from Exodus 3:15, to prove there is a resurrected life. In the burning bush, Moses called the Lord, “the God of the Living” (not of the dead). Those worthy to live the resurrected life with the Living God will then exist in a new form like angels. As faithful Christians, we rejoice that Jesus has reaffirmed our reward of eternal life for those who are worthy.
For many years, I have believed that if I ever go to heaven, I will be a spirit (aka ghosts). Doing yesterday’s reflection, I was surprised to learn that our Catholic doctrine is the resurrection of BOTH body and soul. See 2 Maccabees 7 (about the mother and her 7 sons that were killed for refusing to eat pork). Another source used by early church leaders is the gospel of Mark where Jesus resurrected in the flesh after the women found the empty tomb. Personally, I don’t have any issue whether it is just the soul or both, as long as I can go to heaven! Nevertheless, it is good to know the official church doctrine on this matter.
In that homily, Father Nat asked if we would like to spend eternity with our spouse, body and soul. I found that an interesting question. Well, in January 2024, I will celebrate 30 years of marriage with my wife. They were not always blissful but always happy. I guess the answer is YES. Now, I will ask my wife the question and watch her reaction!
(Today’s OXYGEN by Andrew Sia)
Prayer: Lord , I pray for the strength and wisdom to prepare my earthly life to lead to a resurrected life with you for eternity.
Thanksgiving: Thanks be to you for our faith. Help me to pray with sincerity and belief.
OXYGEN 
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