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
Apo 21:5-7
Mt 10:28-33
“Now I am making the whole of creation new.”
It will be Thanksgiving in 3 days. I expect this year, the elephant at the dinner table will undoubtedly be the outcome of the recent US Elections. I think we can safely say, the American people are united in our surprise at Trump’s victory, even the ones who supported him. A mandate is a significant thing in this country’s politics. This he most certainly seems to have achieved. So, what happens now? I don’t think anyone really knows, maybe not even the President-Elect himself.
Though reactions on social media have polarized sharply, it’s important to remember that the season of Thanksgiving is about love, kindness and gratitude. If you did not vote for him, and are fearful of what a Trump mandate means, there are still things to be grateful for — a clear and unambiguous result, the love and support of family, the chance to have been able to exercise your right to a voice. If you did vote for him, and are bubbling over with the euphoria of victory, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to be kind to the family and friends at the table who did not support him, and are struggling with their confusion and disappointment. In short, Thanksgiving is the season to be kind, wherever you stand in this great divide.
St Catherine knew a thing or two about managing conflict and division. According to the legend, when St Catherine was sent to Evil Emperor Maxentius, she outwitted all the orators and philosophers he put in front of her, to refute her Christian faith. And she did so with patience, faith-filled common sense and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. I think we all have a tendency to speed to the ‘gotcha moment’ whenever we’re in an argument. We ‘straw man’ our opponents’ points, and then make a grand flourish of eviscerating their case. We’re all guilty of it, if we’re honest with ourselves. I, most certainly, am a shameless practitioner of the ‘gotcha’. I guess that’s why I’m often in arguments that devolve into acrimony and division. Nobody likes to be ‘gotcha’-ed. It’s the lowest form of debate, and sadly, too many of us engage in it.
This Thanksgiving season, whichever side of the table we find ourselves on, whoever we backed at the elections, perhaps let’s all extend each other a little grace. A little kindness, empathy and even… forgiveness. Let’s channel St Catherine, who debated with faith-filled wisdom. There is no war that needs to be fought amongst ourselves today or this week. Whatever our divisions are, let’s just put them aside and treat each other with love, kindness and gratitude this Thanksgiving. Wouldn’t that be something – a new, kinder, more forgiving, less divisive America?
(Today’s OXYGEN by Sharon Soo)
Prayer: We pray for peace at the dinner table this Thanksgiving season.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the peacemakers, for those who courageously work towards peace, forgiveness and unity in our families, in our schools, in our workplaces, and on the national stage. May God bless them with wisdom, prudence and fortitude.
OXYGEN 
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