Thursday, February 5, 2026
Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Agatha
When the time of David’s death drew near,
he gave these instructions to his son Solomon:
“I am going the way of all flesh.”
Saint Agatha died in prison in 251 A.D., a beautiful 20 year old who commited her life to Jesus at age 15. She lived in Sicily, where the Roman prefect took a fancy to her and was rejected. Agatha asked Jesus to “possess all that I am. Make me worthy to overcome the devil.”
One of the first martyrs, Agatha was, according to legend, “stretched on a rack to be torn with iron hooks, burned with torches, and whipped. Her breasts were removed by tongs.”
As you might expect, paintings abound of Agatha with her breasts removed. A Sicilian sweet, “Minne di Sant’Agata, represents her removed breasts. She has been named patroness saint of rape victims, breast cancer patients, wet nurses, breastfeeding in general and even bell-ringers (think about the shape of bells).
I try to imagine being in Agatha’s mind, as she wrestles with her desire to live, but determined to be steadfast and faithful to her vow. Her few Christian confidants spend time with her when they can, but her persecutors keep her mostly in solitary confinement. The cell is dark, her wounds ache and burn, and she expects very little except death by fire any day now. Does she become stronger?
Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.
Can she sleep? What dreams might come to Agatha? Will Peter arrive at midnight and rescue her as he was rescued by the Lord’s angel? When an earthquake shook Sicily during her imprisonment, her sentence to be burned at the stake was not carried out. “Possess all that I am,” she praied.
But still, she died in prison. While she lived, did Peter come and heal her wounds? The legend says so. Regardless of its physical truth, the legend depicts spiritual reality. God’s love for his daughter Agatha reached down into the prison and held her tightly, altogether and completely safe.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced
that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
 nor any powers,
neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My friend Cyndy memorized these verses, in fact all of Romans 8. I think of her, and Agatha, and breast cancer victims, and those who breastfeed their babies. We are sheep and we need our shepherd. Thank you, Jesus.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
And they anointed with oil
Many who were sick
And they were cured.
 (1 Kings 2, 1 Chronicles 29, Mark 1, Mark 6)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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