SAINT CECILIA AND SOLDIERS FOR CHRIST

Today, the last Sunday of the Year, the Feast of Christ the King in the Universal Calendar, is the Feast of Saint Cecilia.

This gentle child martyr virgin, patroness of the caressing muse of Music, the angels' art, inflames us to violent battle against the Powers of Darkness.

The Benedictus Antiphon of her morning Office rings out - "As dawn was breaking into day, Cecilia cried out saying: Courage, soldier of Christ, cast away the deeds of darkness, and put on the armour of light."

"Dum aurora fine daret, Cecilia exclamavit dicens : Eia, milites Christi, abicite opera tenebrarum et induimini arma lucis."

Let those fools who would deny our duty to fight for Christ against the World and the Devil, who makes his nest even within our midst, and turn our ancient and holy Order into a den of spiritual pacifists, take heed. Christ the King requires of us an Army, and we must be ready to answer the clarion call. 

Ordo Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani Militaris et Hospitalis Melitensis, custodi et inflamma nos!

(The painting is by Carlo Saraceni,Venice, c 1610. Now Los Angeles County Museum of Art)