Welcome to the traditional Catholic Daily Devotional.

Today's Saturday, March 29th, 2025, the Saturday of the third week of Lent, third class with the color of violet.

In this episode, the meditations, the mother of mercy, and 40 steps to Easter.

Today's news from the church, the resigning prefect of the liturgy speaks out,

and today's thought from Archbishop Marcel Lefevre.

But first the collect of today's Mass.

Grant we beseech the Almighty God that we who chastise our flesh by abstaining from food

may fast from sin by striving after righteousness.

Today we also honor two martyrs from 4th century Persia, and it is in the 4th century

when King Sappor of Persia kicked off a brutal persecution of Christians that two brothers,

Jonas and Barakisius, decided to act. They weren't famous or powerful, just regular guys from the city of Bethassa.

But when they heard that a group of Christians were about to be executed in the nearby city of

Hubaham, they made the trip simply to encourage and support them. The martyrs held strong,

and after their deaths, the brothers were arrested too, guilty of standing by their fellow believers.

The authorities tried to sway them, promising safety if they'd just worship the sun, the moon, fire, or water.

But the brothers wouldn't budge.

Better to obey the eternal king of heaven than a mortal ruler, it has said that, they said.

The torture was horrific.

Frozen ponds, iron hammers, melted lead,

but the brothers held firm to their faith through it all. In the end, they were killed,

not because they led a rebellion, but because they encouraged others to hold on to hope and faith.

Their story reminds us that sometimes the most heroic thing you can do is show up,

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