Samuel has Arrived!

My son Jesse and his wife Anna just had their 3rd delightful baby, our 4th grandson and our 5th grand child. He was born around 3:30 PM Wednesday, September 13. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 3 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. We are very proud!

His name is Samuel Tarcisius. Both names are taken from great figures of our Christian faith which I explain below. Both young boys were related to the Tabernacle: Samuel slept in front of the Tabernacle in the Temple and Tarcisius died protecting and loved the contents of the Christian Tabernacle — the Blessed Eucharist.

Anna and the baby are both fine and healthy for which we all praise the Lord. She will probably come home on Thursday or Friday. Samuel Tarcisius will be baptized by Deacon Dan Foley on Saturday at Christ the King at 2:30 PM.

(Click on picture of baby Samuel for a larger image)

Samuel:
I was just working on the Samuel portion of  the script for my next documentary David & Solomon, Expanding the Kingdom when we heard the good news. Interesting timing. Samuel was a great man of God — the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. He was miraculously born to a childless elderly woman and she promised him to God.

He served in the Temple in Shiloh with Eli the priest. When still a young boy God called to Samuel in the night and he answered like all of us should answer when God calls. He said, “Speak Lord for your servant hears!“

Samuel inaugurated the Kingdom of Israel and was an important hinge figure. He anointed the first two kings of Israel and is a great man in the history of salvation. He is buried in Ramah at the highest point in Jerusalem.

Tarcisius
Tarcisius was a twelve-year-old acolyte during one of the fierce Roman persecutions of the third century, probably during that of Valerian. Each day, from a secret meeting place in the catacombs where Christians gathered for Mass, a deacon would be sent to the prisons to

carry the Eucharist to those Christians condemned to die. At one point, there was no deacon to send and so St. Tarcisius, an acolyte, was sent carrying the "Holy Mysteries" to those in prison.

On the way, he was stopped by boys his own age who were not Christians but knew him as a playmate and lover of games. He was asked to join their games, but this time he refused and the crowd of boys noticed that he was carrying something. Somehow, he was also recognized as a Christian, and the small gang of boys, anxious to view the Christian "Mysteries," became a mob and turned upon Tarcisius with fury. He went down under the blows, and it is believed that a fellow Christian drove off the mob and rescued the young acolyte.

The mangled body of Tarcisius was carried back to the catacombs, but the boy died on the way from his injuries. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Callistus, and his relics are claimed by the church of San Silvestro in Capite.

For more information and pictures, visit Jesse and Anna's Website at http://www.TheRayClan.com.