Nov 22nd - Cecilia

It is not everyday that being in a romance novel gets you on the Roman Canon of Saints. The cult of Cecilia really does not begin until the late 5th century but it is then that she is added to the Roman Sacramentary by Pope Gelasius. We still recall her name today in that same Eucharistic Prayer, and like all the unknown martyrs of the early Roman Church she reminds us of the cost of discipleship.
We might question the accuracy of her narrative or Chaucer's retelling, if we accept it, and even the wisdom of her actions within it. Again though, it is the nature of her devotion to Christ that we remember, the tacit hope of Christ's imminent return, and the miracles that we will witness and participate in if we but give ourselves over so completely to Christ.

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This mayden bright Cecilie, as hir lif seith,  Was comen of Romayns and of noble kynde,  And from hir cradel up fostred in the feith Of Crist, and bar his gospel in hir mynde. She nevere cessed, as I writen fynde, Of hir preyere and God to love and drede, Bisekynge hym to kepe hir maydenhede. And whan this mayden sholde unto a man  Ywedded be, that was ful yong of age, Which that ycleped was Valerian...

-- Chaucer, The Second Nun's Tale