Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr
Saturday of week 33 in Ordinary Time
First reading 1 Maccabees 6:1-13
The confession of King Antiochus in today’s reading is a sobering reminder of how a life lived against God inevitably collapses under the weight of its own choices. As he faces death, he recognizes with bitter grief that the destruction he brought upon Jerusalem has become his own undoing. His sorrow is not simply fear of dying, it is the painful awareness that he spent his life opposing what was holy, and now stands empty-handed before eternity. In contrast, Saint Cecilia, whose feast we celebrate today, shows the beauty of a life entirely given to God. Where Antiochus’s power led to ruin, Cecilia’s purity, courage, and fidelity led to a joyful martyrdom that still inspires the Church. The juxtaposition invites us to examine our own path: bitterness grows where we resist God; deep joy grows where we surrender to Him. Holiness is not accidental but the fruit of daily choices—choices that turn us either toward life or toward regret. Cecilia’s song of love echoes across the centuries, reminding us that a heart aligned with God never fears the end, because it is already living the beginning of eternal life. Let’s reflect: Am I building my life on choices that will lead to peace before God, or are there areas where resistance to His will could one day leave me in bitter regret?
Don Giorgio