Council of Catholic Men

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In today’s Council of Catholic Men, continuing our walk through 2 Corinthians, reflecting on chapter 5’s hope of our heavenly dwelling, the call to walk by faith, and the sober truth of the judgment seat of Christ. We unpack the Douay-Rheims notes on particular judgment, what it means to “know no man according to the flesh,” and Christ made a sin-offering for us. We then read chapters 6–7, highlighting Paul’s exhortations to receive God’s grace, live as temples of the living God, and embrace godly sorrow that produces true penance, comfort, and zeal. We next turn to St. Peter Canisius’s Catechism on purging venial sins, the necessity of doing good (not merely avoiding evil), the fruits of good works, and the classic trio of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—clarifying ecclesial fasting as an act of obedience, charity, and spiritual discipline. We close with St. Alphonsus Liguori’s account of Saints Cyprian (the former magician) and Justina, their conversions, steadfast witness, and martyrdom, and end in prayer.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5–7 (Douay-Rheims). Catechism: St. Peter Canisius on purging sin, good works, and fasting. Hagiography: Sts. Cyprian and Justina. Takeaway: Now is the acceptable time—embrace reconciliation, pursue virtue through prayer, fasting, and alms, and let godly sorrow lead to conversion and joy.

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Thank you for listening to   the Council of Catholic Men. Today is Wednesday, 09/24/2025.   And let's begin with a prayer. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.   Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.   Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.   In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.   Okay. We're gonna begin   where we left off on Saint Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.   We are on chapter five.  

Let's begin.   He is willing to leave his earthly mansion to be with the Lord,   his charity for the Corinthians.   For we know in our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved,   that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven.   For in this also we groan,   desiring to be clothed upon   with our habitation   that is from   heaven. Yet so that we be found clothed, not naked.   For we also,   who are in this tabernacle,   do groan,   being burdened,   because we would not be unclothed,   but clothed upon,   that that which is mortal   may be swallowed up by life.  

Now he that maketh us for this very thing is God,   who hath given us the pledge of the Spirit.   Therefore having always confidence, knowing that, while we are in the body,   we are absent from the Lord.   For we walk by faith and not by sight.   But we are confident and have a good will to be absent   rather from the body and to be present with the Lord.   And therefore, we labor,   whether absent or present, to please him.   For we must all be manifested   before the judgment seat of Christ,   that everyone may receive the proper things of the body,   according   as he hath done,   whether it be good or evil.  

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we use persuasion   to men.   But to God we are manifest.   And I trust also   that in your consciences,   we are manifest.   We come commend not ourselves again to you,   but give you occasion to glory in our behalf,   that you may have   somewhat to answer   them who glory   in face   and not in heart.   For whether we be transported in mind,   it is to God or whether we be sober, it is for you.   For the charity   of Christ   presseth   us,   judging this,   that if one died for all,   then all were dead.   And Christ died for all,   that they also who live may not now live   to themselves,   but unto him who died for them and rose again.  

Wherefore   henceforth   we known   no man according to the flesh.   And if we have known Christ according to the flesh,   but now we know him, so no longer.   If then   any be in Christ a new creature,   the old things are passed away.   Behold, all things are made new,   but all things are of God,   who hath reconciled   us to himself by Christ,   and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.   For God indeed was in Christ,   reconciling   the world to himself,   not imputing   to them their sins,   but he hath placed in us the word of reconciliation.   For Christ,   therefore,   we are ambassadors,   God as it were exhorting by us.  

For Christ, we beseech you,   be reconciled to God.   Him who know knew no sin.   He hath made sin for us that we might be made the justice of God in him.   Alright?   So it's the end of chapter five.   I'm gonna read the footnotes here.   Again, we're reading from the Douay Rheims version of the Bible, English translation.   So, chapter five verse 10.   Verse 10 is   for we must all be manifested before the judgement seat of Christ   that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according   as he hath done,   whether it be good or evil.   The proper things of the body, in the particular judgment,   immediately   after death,   the soul is rewarded or punished according to what it has done in the body.  

So, that's our judgement.   A particular judgement.   Which comes before the general judgement of mankind.   So each person   is judged according to whether they did good   or whether they did evil   and then they   they must give account for what they did   And it also   according to the Catholic   church,   the teaching,   the punishment due to sin, the satisfaction   for the for the wrong that's been done,   there has to be an accounting of that.   And   we consider that to be purgatory   before   we we go into heaven.   So the judgment is given,   and then the satisfaction is made. And if you don't   make satisfaction   here on the Earth now while we have a chance,   if we've committed sin   and even   and we've been forgiven,   we still owe   satisfaction for that sin.  

And that can come later in after death   in in purgatory.   So verse 16.   Wherefore, henceforth, we know now no man according to the flesh.   And if we have known Christ according to the flesh,   but now we know him, so no longer.   We know no man according to the flesh.   That is, we consider not any man with regard to his nation, family,   kindred,   or other natural qualities or advantages,   but only with relation to Christ,   according to the order of divine charity   in God and for God.   The apostle adds that even with respect to Christ himself,   he now no longer considers him according to the flesh.  

By taking a satisfaction   in his being his countrymen,   his affection being now   purified   from all such earthly considerations.   So with respect to Christ himself, he no now no longer considers him according to the flesh   by taking a satisfaction in his being   his countrymen.   His affection   being now purified from all such earthly considerations.   Which means, you're going to heaven.   You're going to be   in heaven with everybody who's ever lived   regardless of where they're from, how   who who they were,   what relation to your family they were. Because   ultimately,   we all come from the same parents of Adam and Eve, who were created by God in his likeness and image.  

So   every man then becomes   brother to each other at that point.   And so those nation nationalities   cease to be   of any importance.   And even then, even now,   those things are aren't   to be considered   because of the relationship with Christ   and forgiveness and   divine like it says here, according to the order of divine charity.   So verse 21,   for him who knew no sin,   he hath made sin for us that we might be made   justice of God in him.   Sin for us that is to be a sin offering, a victim   for sin.   So   he hath made sin for us, a sin offering,   meaning he   he,   he's a sin offering, a victim for our sin.  

And for the sins that we've committed, we offer them to Jesus who died on the cross for us.   And he was our sin offering, which the idea of that, if you look back, it's the Holocaust.   If you look at what the Holocaust,   a Holocaust means,   is it's you're sacrificing something   for sin.   So,   you can give things   up as a sacrifice, and you offer it to Christ   and place that   at the foot of the cross   as your   sacrifice to offer to him for the satisfaction   of our sins   that he gave his own life for us. And he was God, and he was man   and did that for our sake.  

So let's begin   chapter eight.   Or, excuse me, we're gonna go to chapter eight.   The next chapter is chapter six.   He exhorts them to a correspondence   with God's grace   and not to be, not to associate   with unbelievers.   And we helping to exhort you that you receive not the grace of god   in vain.   For he saith,   in an accepted time have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee.   Behold,   now is the acceptable time.   Behold,   now is the day of salvation,   giving no offense to any man   that our ministry be not blamed.   But in all things, let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God   in much patience, in tribulation,   in necessities,   in distresses,   in stripes,   in prisons,   in seditions,   in labors,   in watches watchings,   in fastings,   in chastity,   in knowledge,   in long suffering,   in sweetness,   in the Holy Ghost,   in charity unfeigned,   in the word of truth,   in the power of God,   by the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left,   by honor and dishonor,   by evil report   and good report,   as deceivers   and yet true,   as unknown   and yet known,   as dying and behold we live,   as chastised   and not killed,   as sorrowful,   yet always rejoicing,   as needy,   yet enriching many,   as   having nothing   and possessing   all things.  

Our mouth is open to you, oh ye Corinthians.   Our heart is enlarged.   You are not straightened in us,   but in your own bowels you are straightened.   But having the same recompense,   I speak as to my children,   be you also enlarged.   Bear not the yoke with unbelievers,   for what participation   hath justice with injustice?   Or what fellowship   hath light with darkness?   And what concord hath Christ with   Belial?   Or what part hath the faithful   with the unbeliever?   And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?   For you are the temple of the living God,   as God saith,   I will dwell in them and walk among them,   and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  

Wherefore go out from among them,   and be ye separate,   saith the Lord,   and touch not the unclean thing.   And I will receive you, and I will be a father to you.   And you shall be my sons and daughters.   Saith the Lord Almighty.   That's chapter six.   And so that's extorting   them,   the Corinthians, to a correspondence   with God's grace and not to associate with unbelievers.   And that's what we need to do today   is do our best to associate with people who are believers   and those people who are willing to listen.   Chapter seven.   The Apostle's Affection for the Corinthians.  

His Comfort and Joy on Their Account.   Having therefore these promises,   dearly beloved,   let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting sanctification   in the fear of God.   Receive us.   We have injured no man. We have corrupted no   man. We have overreached no man.   I speak not this to your condemnation,   for we have said before   that you are in our hearts to die together   and to live together.   Great is my confidence in you.   Great is my glorying   for you.   I am filled with comfort.   I exceedingly abound with joy   in all our tribulation.  

For also when we were coming into Macedonia,   our flesh had no rest,   but we suffered all tribulation.   Combats without,   fears within.   But God,   who com comforteth the humble,   comforteth us by the coming of Titus,   and not by his coming only,   but also by the consolation,   wherewith he was comforted in you,   relating to us your desire,   your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced the more.   For although I made you sorrowful   by my epistle,   I do not repent.   And if I did repent,   seeing that the same epistle,   although   but for a time,   did make you sorrowful,   Now I am glad,   not because you were made sorrowful,   but because you were made sorrowful unto penance.  

For you were made sorrowful according to God,   that you might suffer damage by us in nothing.   For the sorrow that is   according to God worketh penance,   steadfast unto salvation,   but the sorrow of the world worketh death.   For behold, this self same thing, that you were made sorrowful according to God,   how great carefulness   it worketh   in you,   yea, defense,   Yea, indignation.   Yea,   fear.   Excuse me.   Yea, defense. Yea, indignation.   Yea, fear.   Yea, desire.   Yea, zeal, yea, revenge.   In all things you have showed yourselves to be undefiled in the matter.   Wherefore, although I wrote to you,   it was not for his sake that did the wrong,   nor for him that suffered it,   but to manifest our carefulness   that we have for you.  

Before God,   therefore, we were comforted.   But in our consolation,   we did the more abundantly rejoice   for the joy of Titus,   because his spirit   was refreshed   by you all.   And if I have boasted anything   to him   of you,   I have not been put to shame.   But as we have spoken all things to you in truth,   so also our boasting that was made to Titus is found a truth,   and his bowels are more abundantly toward you,   remembering the obedience of you all,   how with fear and trembling you received him.   I rejoice that in all things I have confidence in you.   And that's the end of chapter seven.  

So that was the apostle   apostle's affection for the Corinthians,   his comfort and joy on their account. Because   through the first letter,   he sent them to rebuke them and get them to feel sorry for their sins   and the harm they've done to each other and to forgive each other.   And he's   giving thanks to them for   taking heed of that even though it made them sad.   Which sometimes does make us sad to look at   our faults or other people's fault.   We   as long as we forgive that's what's important   so what I'm gonna do   is I'm gonna move to the catechism.   We're gonna   it's probably gonna be a little bit longer for the catechism   this time.  

I'm gonna   cut it back   today on the bible.   We did one   actually,   one page   on both sides   from the Bible.   And now we're gonna go to the Catholic catechism   by Saint Peter Kinesius   translated in in English. It's a little bit of an old English type translation,   but I hope   you can follow along.   So it's his his large catechism,   and we are on   we are   on of purging   of the purge of the purging of sins.   And before this,   there are questions   about what it means to purge sins   from our lives   and   of what we do with big sins and little sins.   And we're on question   one seventy seven.  

What then are the remedies to purge the lighter sorts of sins?   For the washing away of such filth of the soul in this life, the primitive church hath acknowledged and used these remedies,   a humble   accusation of a man's self,   our Lord's prayer,   knocking of the breast,   and   other the like devout exercises,   either toward god   or toward our neighbor.   And afflictions of the body   voluntary   voluntarily   and devoutly undertaken.   Which remedies wise men search   so much the more willingly   and seriously do embrace,   by how much they do more perfectly know   and more diligently   weigh and consider the severity of God's justice   in revenging   of sin.  

Which we may be expressly shown   even by that one dreadful speech of Christ.   I say unto you,   that every idle word   that men shall speak,   they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.   Also by the speech, that speech of Saint Peter,   The just man shall scarce be saved.   Insomuch   that for this cause   Job,   a man, likewise   just   and innocent,   hath said,   I did fear all my works knowing that thou didst not spare him that sinneth.   And the apostle, Saint Paul,   it is horrible to fall into the hands of the living god.   But if we did judge ourselves,   as the same apostle warned warneth us,   we should not be judged.  

Therefore,   blessed is that man that is always fearful,   but he that is of a hard heart shall fall into evil.   Question one seventy eight.   It is, is it sufficient to abstain from sin?   Christian justice, whereof   we have hitherto treated, proposeth two parts,   and doth equally   necessary   commendeth them unto us in these words,   decline from evil,   and do good,   as also Saint Paul teacheth,   hating evil and cleaving to good.   Two zero three Therefore,   it is not sufficient,   as Saint Augustine hath plainly said, to abstain from evil,   except   that   be done   which is good,   and it is a small matter to hurt no man,   except thou dost endeavor to do   good to many.  

Wherefore,   having now finished   after our manner, the first part of justice,   which prohibiteth   evils,   it followeth now that   by the help of Christ,   we go forward to speak of the other part also,   which consisteth   in the pursuit of those things which are good.   So,   abstaining from evil,   except that be done which is good.   And it is a small matter to hurt   no man,   except thou endeavor to do good to   many.   Wherefore,   having now finished with our manner of the first part of justice,   which prohibiteth evil, it followeth now that, by the help of Christ, we go forward   to speak of the other part also, which consisteth in the pursuit of those things which are good. So, now we're going to start talking about   virtues.  

And we're on to our next chapter   of three sorts of good works.   Question one seventy nine.   In what good things doth Christian justice consist?   This justice   extendeth so far, that it containeth in itself all the good things   which are honestly,   justly,   and devoutly done   and proposeth   the same unto us,   as it as to be both desired and followed.   Wherefore, thus, doth the the apostle admonish the faithful,   walk worthy of god in all things pleasing,   fructifying   in all good work,   providing good things   not only before God,   but also before all men.  

For this is the true use and proper fruit of our vocation,   and of Christian justice purchased by Christ as witnesseth   Saint Peter,   that being dead to sins we may live to justice.   That is to say,   as Saint Paul expounded it,   that denying impiety   and worldly desires,   we live soberly and justly   and godly in this world.   To this effect   is that of the gospel proposed unto us.   That without fear being delivered from the hands of our enemies,   we may serve him in holiness and justice   before him   all our days.   For therefore, hath Christ redeemed us   from all iniquity,   that he might cleanse   to himself   a people acceptable,   a pursuer   of good works.  

For   we are the work of God himself,   created   in Christ Jesus   in good works,   which God hath prepared   that we should walk in them.   Thus doth Saint Paul   constantly write and warn all men about the observance and continual   practice   of Christian justice.   And for this cause also Saint John doth wisely   admonish   and absolutely define,   little children,   let no man seduce you.   He that doth justice is just,   even as he also is just.   He that committeth sin   is of the devil.   And Saint James   expressly teacheth.   By works a man is justified,   and not by faith only.  

For even as the body without the spirit is dead,   so also faith without works is dead.   Then again the same apostle.   He that hath looked in the law of perfect liberty,   and hath remained in it,   not made a forgetful hearer,   but a doer of the work.   This man   shall be blessed in his deed.   And no other meaning than this had Saint Paul when he said,   not the hearers of the law are just with God,   but the doers of the law shall be just.   Question one eighty.   What profit do the works of Christian justice procure?   Very cert, singular cert,   and manifold,   both in this life and in the life to come.  

For hereunto belongeth this that speech of Saint Paul,   piety is profitable to all things,   having promise of the life that it now is,   and of the life to come.   Then in another place we find it written,   of good labors there is glorious fruit.   For first these works proceeding from a lively, flat faith,   that is,   from a faith working by charity,   are not only signs of Christian vocation,   but do also confirm   and make sure the same in us.   And therefore,   Saint Peter the Apostle,   who in every place exhorteth to good works,   hath added this also,   Brethren,   labor the more,   that by good works you may make sure   your vocation and election.  

For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time.   Secondly,   they do augment grace in the believers,   and do perfect sanctification,   as witnesseth the Apostle,   insomuch that hereupon   St. James   also affirmeth that faith which doth work with works is also consummate   by the same works.   Thirdly,   they engender a confidence of a good conscience,   and do the more   encouraged to pray   and obtain anything at God's hand.   For it is written,   alms   shall be a great confidence before the high God to   to all them that do the same.   And again,   my dearest,   if our heart do not   reprehend us,   we have confidence toward God.  

And whatsoever we shall ask,   we shall receive of him,   because we keep his commandments,   and do those things which are pleasing before him.   There is an example extent in Hezekiah the king,   who, having confidence   in a good conscience,   and being approved therein by God's own voice,   said,   I beseech Thee,   O Lord,   remember,   I pray Thee,   how I have walked before Thee in truth,   and in a perfect heart,   and have done that which is good in thy sight.   Finally,   they do cause that laboring   in the vineyard of Christ,   we may receive the day penny,   to wit,   the promised reward of life everlasting,   and the crown of justice,   which   keeping the commandments of god in the church.  

We do in Christ   deserve.   Therefore, our lord say it,   call the work folks   and pay them their hire.   Holy   David saith,   thy servant keepeth them,   to wit the commandments of God,   in keeping them much retribution.   And again,   I have inclined my heart to keep thy justifications   forevermore   because of retribution.   Saint Paul also saith,   I have fought a good fight,   I have consummate   my course,   I have kept the faith.   Concerning the rest,   there is laid up for me a crown of justice,   which our Lord will render to me in that day,   a just judge,   and not only to me,   but to them also that love his coming.  

Finally,   Christ himself saith,   if through thou   through if thou wilt enter into life,   keep the commandments.   And again,   They that have done good things shall come forth into the resurrection of   life, but they that have done evil,   into resurrection of judgment.   Then in another place,   he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven,   he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.   By all which it is made very manifest how much it standeth every one of us upon.   If we desire life everlasting,   to ponder those speeches of almighty god,   he that is just,   let him be justified yet,   and let the holy be sanctified   yet. Behold, I come   quickly,   and my reward is with me,   to render to every man according to his works.  

Therefore,   doing good, let us not fail.   For in due time, we shall reap,   not failing.   Question   one eighty one.   How many kinds of good works be there   wherein Christian justice is chiefly seen and exercised?   There are three kinds, as we find in Holy Scripture, to wit:   prayer,   fasting,   and alms.   For   other good deeds, for the most part,   which do proceed   of a lively faith,   and do set forth,   increase,   and consummate   Christian justice,   are easily reduced   to these three fountains.   Hereupon was that notable speech of the angel,   Raphael.  

Prayer is good   with fasting   and alms,   more than to hoard up treasures of gold.   And Saint Augustine saith plainly,   this is the justice of a man in this life,   Fasting,   alms, and prayer.   Of this doth Christ   severally   entreat in Saint Matthew's gospel,   and added added promises of the heavenly reward prepared for those who,   within the church, without hypocrisy,   do sincerely fast,   pray, and give alms.   Hence is that faithful promise so often repeated.   The father which see it in secret will repay thee.   And these be the very things wherein Christ,   through the intent that we may live well and happily,   would have out our justice   to abound.  

And   so to shine before men,   that they may see our good works and glorify the father.   To the performance of these,   we are created and destined in Christ   as the which things god hath prepared that we may walk in them.   For these things done in charity,   the just shall be received   into the everlasting   kingdom.   And for the neglecting   of the same,   the unjust shall be cast headlong into hellfire.   And as it is pharisaical   and full of vanity,   with the contempt of others to justify himself   and to trust in his own works,   so is it Christian like and lawful that a man with humility   diligently attend unto good works.  

And if at any time he will glory   to glory   in our Lord,   and who worketh in us to will and to accomplish   as witnesseth   the apostle.   Now we go into the specifics of fasting.   Question   one twenty eight.   What is fasting?   This word hath not one simple   signification.   A great and general fast,   Saint Augustine calleth,   to abstain from vices and unlawful   pleasures   of the world.   Then is there a philosoph philosophical   fast,   as some name it,   consisting in a spare diet and temperance of meat and drink,   and moral sobriety,   wherewith   the very heathens,   according to the rule of right reason,   do live temperately.  

Thirdly,   there is an ecclesiastical   fast   to wit, when according   to the certain custom and prescript   of the church,   which forbear   flesh diet upon certain days,   and are content with only   one with one only repast.   Which kind of fast is after a godly and Christian manner   undertaken to perform God's service   more religiously?   To flame   to t excuse me. To tame the flesh   and make it subject to the spirit,   to yield the unworthy fruits of penance,   to exercise obedience,   and finally,   to obtain any grace and favor at God's hands.   Question one eighty three.  

But what answer   is to be made unto thee that do   reprehend   and contemn the law of the ecclesiastical   fast.   First,   such persons are to be admonished that they do not falsely attribute unto Catholics that which the apostle doth detest.   And the church hath ever   in the Jews,   Manichies,   and Priscillianists,   condemned.   For that, either according to the law of Moses,   or of superstition,   they do abstain from certain meats.   For Catholics,   as St. Augustine answereth Faustus the Maniche,   whereas they abstain from flesh,   they do it for the for to tame their bodies,   and to restrain the more their souls from such motions to be contrary to reason.  

Not for that they think the flesh itself to be unclean,   neither do they abstain from flesh only,   but also from certain fruits of the earth,   either always as a few,   or at certain days and times,   as in the Lent,   for the most part, every one.   Thus writeth Saint Augustine,   and before him, the same also,   Epiphianus   teacheth,   where he confuteth   the Arian heresy,   which will have the set fasts of the church to be at every man's discretion,   and no man to be bound thereunto.   But in that order,   that the order of time is observed in public fasts,   as also in prayers and holy days,   that doth confirm,   set forth,   and advance the order and public concord   of the church.  

Besides   private fasts few would impose upon themselves,   as being hindered from such endeavors,   with a natural love of the flesh and care of the belly.   Now that it is of great importance   and of great of assured merit,   reverently to embrace, and diligently to observe such kind of fast?   Saint Jerome   provideth   it so plainly against Jovinian,   that none can doubt   thereof   anymore.   Unto which may be added those things, which we have taught   before concerning the observance   of the precepts of the church,   and that for the avoiding of scandal   and retaining of public discipline.  

Neither only for wrath,   but also for conscience' sake,   as the apostle   hath said.   And it is manifest,   as the writers in all ages do prove,   that this is both the perpetual   discipline,   custom,   tradition,   and decree of the church,   and hath been ever from the beginning,   that upon certain days, especially of the Lent,   this fast of the church should be observed.   So do the canons of the apostles   and the most holy councils teach.   The council of Gangra   Sirts pronouceth   them accursed   that do contemn the common fasts of the whole church.   And the Toltain Council   willeth them to be excommunicate   who,   without inevitable   necessity   and evident weakness,   do eat flesh in Lent.  

And the holy father's zeal is most singular singular   in commending,   urging,   and requiring   fasts,   especially that of Lent,   which they will have accounted   and   as instituted   by the apostles.   From the spirit of the fathers   are they far off   that do   burden   themselves   and others of the law of fasts.   Taking upon themselves the patronage,   not of evangelical liberty,   but of licentiousness   of the flesh.   These fellows will not have the flesh   with the vices and concupences   to be crucified,   and therefore   they favor not those things   that are of the spirit,   but do rather extinguish the spirit   contrary to the doctrine of the the apostle.  

They do also resist the Holy Church, our mother,   yea, and Christ also,   speaking and governing in the church his spouse.   Wherefore, they purchased unto themselves   assured damnation,   whereas they abrogate and reject   the holy and wholesome ordinance of fasts   always commanded unto us by the church.   And I'm gonna leave it right there   for next time,   and we're gonna read from   the victories of the martyrs so we'll leave it there we have a little bit to cover on fasting   still but   it's good to fast   which   means also   philosophically abstaining from doing evil.   So today   is the twenty fourth, and the next   the next   feast day   is September   29.  

So the twenty fourth.   And last week, we read about Saint January's   and the blood   miracle.   Today we're gonna read chapter   six or 73.   And this is   Saint Alphonsus dei Liguori, victories of the martyrs or the lives of the most celebrated martyrs of the church,   and Saint Cyprian,   magician,   and Justina,   virgin.   September 29.   Cyprian   was born at Antioch,   a city which, according to Alban Butler,   must not be confounded with the ancient capital of Syria.   It was situated between Syria   and Arabia   and depended on the governor government of Phoenicia.   In Syria,   of a noble and opulent family,   who, being pagans, educated him in the superstitious   idolatry,   and particularly   in the practice of magic,   wherein   he made such progress by reason of his great talents   that he was accounted the most famous magician of Greece.  

Having become familiar with diabolical practices,   there was no sort of   abomination   too hideous for him to undertake,   in order to offer their blood to demons.   This impious life he continued   to his thirtieth year,   when it pleased the Almighty   to make him an illustrious example of his great mercy.   His conversion happened in the following manner.   There lived at Antioch a young lady named Justina,   who,   notwithstanding   that her parents were idolaters   and had had embraced the faith upon hearing a Christian sermon,   and had consecrated herself to God by a vow of virginity.   Her extraordinary   beauty drew the attention of a young gentleman named   Agladeus,   who used all his endeavors to persuade her to become his wife,   but being   continually   repulsed,   had recourse   to Cyprian,   in order that he might change her resolution   by some magic spell.  

The wizard used all his arts in vain,   and Saint Gregory writes that the devil made use of all his temptations   to affect her fall,   but that the Holy Virgin placed herself under the protection of the Mother of Purity,   and thus remained faithful to her vow.   Cyprian upbraided the devil with his impotency   in not being able to overcome a young virgin,   but he was answered that she was rendered invincible by the God of the Christians.   Since then, said Cyprian,   the God of the Christians is more powerful than thou art.   I will rather serve him than thee.  

Cyprian forthwith proceeded to a priest   named   Eusebius,   who   had been a friend of his,   and from this clergyman,   he received   great comfort   and encouragement,   particularly   against temptation to despair,   with which the devil continually afflicted him   by being upbraiding   by upbraiding him with his past enormities,   By the charitable assistance   of this holy priest, Cyprian,   once a monster of fiendish deformity,   became a most exemplary   Christian,   and worked the conversion of many idolaters.   It has   even been asserted that upon the death of the Bishop of Antioch, Cyprian was raised to that sea.   In the persecution   of Diocletian,   Cyprian and Justina   were both arrested by   Utomus,   governor of Phoenicia,   who upon their resolute confession of the faith caused   Justina to be scourged and Cyprian   to be inhumanly   torn with iron hooks.  

He sent them into separate dungeons,   and every endeavor to pervert them   having proved   useless,   he caused them to be immersed in a cauldron   of boiling pitch.   The two saints, having come forth unhurt,   were by the governor sent to the emperor,   who ordered them to be beheaded.   This sentence was executed   on the December 26,   or, excuse me, September,   on the twenty sixth September.   Their relics were brought to Rome,   and a pious lady   named Rufinia   afterwards caused a small church to be built over them.   They were thence removed to the Lateran   Basilica.  

So that's   the lives of Saint Cyprian, the magician,   and Justina, the virgin.   And we're gonna end it there.   Thank you, everybody, for listening. Well, let's end with a prayer.   In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit. Amen.   Our father,   who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.   Thy kingdom come, thy will be done upon earth as it is in heaven.   Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,   as we forgive those who trespass against us,   and lead us not into temptation,   but deliver us from evil. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.   Today is Wednesday, 09/24/2025.  

And thank you all for listening to   the Council   of Catholic Men, Bible Study and Catechism.