passions, and to subject all their
powers to his holy love. Such fall not into any venial sins with full
deliberation, and wipe away those of frailty into which they are
betrayed, by the compunction and penance in which they constantly live,
and by the constant attention with which they watch daily over
themselves. They pray with the utmost earnestness that God deliver them
from all the power of the enemy, and establish in all their affections
the perfect empire of his grace and love; and to fulfil his will in the
most perfect manner in all their actions, is their most earnest desire
and hearty endeavor. How bountifully does God reward, even in this life,
those who are thus liberal towards him! St. Casimir, who had tasted of
this happiness, and learned truly to value the heavenly grace, loathed
all earthly pomp and delights. With what joy ought not all Christians,
both rich and poor, to be filled when they hear: The kingdom of God is
within you! With what ardor ought they not to devote themselves to make
God reign perfectly in their hearts! How justly did St. Casimir prefer
this pursuit to earthly kingdoms!

ST. LUCIUS, POPE AND MARTYR.

From Eus. l. 7. c. 2 and St. Cyprian's letters. See Tillem. t. 4. p.
118. Pagi, Ceillier, t. 3, p. 118, and Pearson, Annal. Cyprian. pp. 31,
33.

A.D. 253.

ST. Lucius was a Roman by birth, and one of the clergy of that church
under SS. Fabian and Cornelius. This latter being crowned with
martyrdom, in 252, St. Lucius succeeded him in the pontificate. The
emperor Gallus having renewed the persecution of his predecessor Decius,
at least in Rome, this holy pope was no sooner placed in the chair of
St. Peter, but he was banished with several others, though to what place
is uncertain. "Thus," says St. Dionysius of Alexandria, "did Gallus
deprive himself of the succor of heaven, by expelling those who every
day prayed to God for his peace and prosperity." St. Cyprian wrote to
St. Lucius to congratulate him both on his promotion, and for the grace
of suffering banishment for Christ. Our saint had been but a short time
in exile, when he was recalled, with his companions, to the incredible
joy of his people, who went out of Rome in crowds to meet him. St.
Cyprlan wrote him a second letter of congratulation on this occasion.[1]
He says, "He had not lost the dignity of martyrdom because he had the
will, as the three children in the furnace, though preserved by God from
death: this glory add