⛪ Saint of the Day : 02 December

When, at length, Rufina saw to her great chagrin that her endeavors were entirely useless, she informed the tyrant Apronianus of her failure, and persuaded him immediately to sentence Bibiana to death. The tyrant, without delay, ordered her to be tied to a column, and beaten to death. The order was executed, and’ Bibiana repeatedly declared that she regarded it as a high honor to be thought worthy to die for Christ’s sake. With her eyes raised to heaven, she stood motionless during her martyrdom, until her whole body was one mass of bloody wounds, and she gave her unspotted soul to the keeping of her heavenly Bridegroom. According to the tyrant’s command, her holy body was left on the public road, to serve as a prey to the dogs; but it remained untouched, until a pious priest carried it secretly away, and buried it beside the grave of her mother and sister. At present there stands a beautiful church on the spot, built in honor of the holy martyr, and in commemoration of the sufferings and death of her mother and sister.
Practical Considerations
The danger in which Saint Bibiana found herself, was great beyond expression, and the more so, because it lasted for a long time. Yet the chaste virgin committed no sin, because she was in danger without her consent, and could not save herself by flight. She did all in her power to guard herself against sinning, and God gave her His especial aid. It must ever afford great consolation to those who against their will, are exposed to great danger, and who are unable to escape, that God will surely assist them, when, like Saint Bibiana, they do all in their power to help themselves. Such help, however, cannot reasonably be expected by those who imprudently cast themselves into danger of sin, or who voluntarily remain in it. ” Divine assistance will surely be given us, if we do not neglect to do all that is in our power,” says Saint James of Nisibis. Many persons, however, will not do this, but clearly show that it is not their earnest wish to avoid sin, since they do not employ the necessary means. And for the same reason, they are in danger of going to eternal ruin. Why? Take the following words well to heart. To gain heaven, nothing is so necessary as a truly sorrowful confession. It is, however, necessary for such a confession, that, be- sides contrition, we make the ear- nest resolution not only to avoid sin, but also every opportunity that may lead to it. When this resolution does not exist, confession is invalid and sacrilegious. We obtain by it not only no pardon for our sins, but we commit another and a great sin. If we go to holy communion after such a confession, we become again guilty of a great sin, and by continuing thus to confess and partake of holy communion, perhaps for months or years, we desecrate the holy Sacraments, and cast ourselves still deeper into hell. Oh! that all whom it concerns may take this terrible but true article of faith to heart, especially those who do not endeavor to free their houses from all occasions to sin; who keep up a sinful friendship; who do not shun the house where they have so often offended the Lord; as also those who voluntarily remain in a place where they are almost daily in imminent danger of sin. Such people perhaps go frequently to confession and not seldom to holy communion, but unworthily; because they have not made, in their confession, the earnest resolution to shun the occasion of sin. Their repentance is not true, but useless and hypocritical. “To avoid all occasion of sin, is the sign of true repentance,” writes Saint Bernard. And Saint Isidore says: ” It belongs to true repentance, to avoid all opportunity to sin.” Again he says: “He that does not shun all opportunity of evil, does not entirely free himself from sin.”