Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

Agatha is another of the early saints about whom most our knowledge is based on legend. She was born in Sicily, either Catania or Palermo, both of which claim her as a patron, and was martyred in Catania, most likely during the persecution of the Roman emperor Decius around the middle of the third century.

Agatha dedicated herself to God and a life of chastity. When she refused the advances of a Roman consul, he denounced her as a Christian and subjected her to torture and indignities to change her mind. But Agatha’s continued dedication to God and her calm acceptance of torture only infuriated her captors and they had her tortured and killed.

Not many of us have to endure torture today, but all of us do bear distressing pain, whether physical, mental, or emotional, from time to time. Although this practice has been out of favor for a while, we might offer up our suffering to God in reparation for our sins.