This saint "cured himself" every time he was beaten up and stoned

               March 16  -- St. Abraham of Kiduna

              Born of a noble and wealthy family in the 4th century, St. Abraham rejected wealth and an illustrious marriage for a life of solitude and prayer.  A small cell in Edessa near Mesapotamia was his abode and his sanctuary for more than ten years when  the Bishop of Edessa called him to go to the city of Beth-Kiduna to convert the idolaters there.

St. Abraham, seeing that this request was the will of God, entered the city and toppled the all the altars and idols he could find.   The furious inhabitants beat him and drove him away only for him to return with renewed health and stamina, praying in the church and  preaching against the sins of idolatry.  Again he was beaten , stoned and dragged from the city.  Again, restored by God , he returned.  Thus, he endured three years of horrific attacks and persecutions.

St. Abraham's persistence and heroism won many of the people by showing them that his God was superior to their idols.  They reasoned that their idols could not defend them against the wrath of the saint who "cured himself" every time he was beaten and ill treated. Eventually, St. Abraham baptized 1000 souls and instructed them in the Faith.

It is interesting to note that these pagans were overcome by the direct method that St. Abraham used.  He preached, persisted and showed through his actions the Truth of the Catholic Faith. One wonders if the actions of God in our day will be heeded.

How many will see the recent earthquake and tsunami as the work of an Almighty God Who is warning the world of the chastisements promised by Our Lady of Fatima?

Let us pray to St. Abraham of Kiduna to be able to exterminate the modern idols which cloud our vision and hide the Hand of God in our lives.