St. Cecilia,
glorious Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ,
I admire the courage with which
you professed your faith in the face
of severe persecution,
and the generous love with which
you offered your life in withness
to your belief in the Blessed Trinity.
I thank God with you for the wonderful graces
He had bestowed upon you
to make your life holy and pleasing to Him
even in the midst of the wealth that was yours.
I thank Him for the privilege offered to you
of receiving the glorious crown of martyrdom.
Saint Cecilia,
I also admire the purity of love
that bound you to the Savior,
which was greater in your eyes
than any human affection,
so that you declared yourself
before the enemies of the Church,
“I am the bride of my Lord Jesus Christ.”
Pray for me that in imitation of you
I may keep my body pure and my soul holy,
and that I may love Jesus with all my heart.
In these times so full of pleasure seeking
and so lacking in faith,
teach us to profess our faith courageously
and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves in practicing it,
so that our good example
may lead others closer to Christ
and the Church He as founded.
In thanksgiving to God
for the graces he bestowed on St Cecilia:
“Our Father…”
“Hail Mary…”
“Glory be…”
St. Cecilia,
Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ,
pray for us.
Amen.