St. Agnes, my confirmation patroness

SAINT AGNES: feast day is January 21  

 St. Agnes in prison

 St Agnes in Prison Receiving
from Heaven the Shining
White Garment
by Frank Cadogan Cowper

(WHEN I WAS CONFIRMED AT THE AGE OF TEN, I CHOSE AGNES AS MY CONFIRMATION NAME.  I WAS A FERVANT LITTLE GIRL AND I DO THINK THAT THE 10 YEAR OLD GIRL MAY HAVE EARNED THE GRACES TO 'SAVE' THE 40 YEAR OLD WOMAN!  IN ANY CASE, I CHOSE AGNES BECAUSE SHE WAS YOUNG, HOLY, BRAVE, PURE, TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH JESUS AND A MARTYR. I WANTED TO BE LIKE HER THEN AND I WISH TO BE LIKE HER NOW. ST. AGNES, PRAY FOR ME!–Joseph-Mary)

 St. Agnes and Lamb

 AGNES was only twelve years old when she was led to the altar of the pagan goddess Minerva in Rome to offer incense to her. But she raised her hands to Jesus Christ and made the Sign of the Cross.

The soldiers bound her hands and feet. Her young hands were so thin that the chains slipped from her wrists. When the judge saw that she was not afraid of pain, he had her clothes removed, and she had to stand in the street before a pagan crowd.

She cried out, "Christ will guard His own."

While the crowd wouldn't look at her, a young man who did look at her with sinful thoughts was struck blind by a flash of lightening. Agnes was offered the hand of a rich young man in marriage, but she answered, "Christ is my Spouse. He chose me first and His I will be. He made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him whom the angels serve."

She prayed and then she was put to death. The name Agnes comes from the Latin word agnus, meaning lamb, and reminds us of the gentleness of this young saint.

Prayer: All-powerful and ever-living God, You choose the weak in this world to confound the powerful. As we celebrate the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Agnes, may we like her remain constant in faith.

This page address: http://www.ainglkiss.com/saints/agnes.htm

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It might be noted that this is also the day that wool is gathered to make the palliums of the bishops.

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