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 the judge was so incensed that he caused them to be cruelly beaten but the martyrs only raised their eyes to heaven, saying: Jesus Christ, Thy will be done in us! The judge, inflamed with anger, caused them to be stretched on the rack and torn with hooks; but all he could get them to say was: Tyrant, know that we are Christians; we are Christians; may the will of God be done in us! Then their flesh was burned with torches, their wounds rubbed with vinegar and salt, and after many other tortures they were condemned to die by the sword; but in all their sufferings the only words, almost, they were heard to utter were: We are Christians; may the will of God be done in us! Saying these words they gave up the ghost. Vigilantius, a heathen, who witnessed their martyrdom, thought there must be some special virtue hidden in those words, to banish all sense of pain, so that their tortures caused them no suffering; therefore in all adverse circumstances he repeated those words: We are Christians; may the will of God be done in us! And for three whole days did that blind heathen keep on repeating them; when, wonderful to relate, the mercy of God could no longer withhold from him a special grace. Vigilantius was suddenly enlightened; he was converted to the Christian faith, and ran into the public street, crying out before all the people: I am a Christian; do you hear me, tyrant? May the will of God be done in me! He then caused his whole household to be baptized with himself, and was thrown into prison with the martyrs.

My dear brethren, we, too, are Christians, are we not? Let us, then, in all occurrences think and say, and show by our actions that we mean it: May the will of God be done in us! We are fellow-servants and brethren of the angels, as the angel in the Apocalypse said to St. John, who was about to adore him: " See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren." Let us, too, think and say in all circumstances: May the will of God be done by us and in us on earth as it is done by and in the angels in heaven! And no matter how hard and difficult and bitter it may appear to me, nevertheless may the will of God be done in me! This cross weighs heavily on me; this insult seems intolerable; this sickness and pain are grievously tormenting; secret poverty and want oppress me; this death causes me bitter sorrow; yet I am a Christian, a fellow-servant of the angels; may the will of God be done in me, too! And may the will of God be