Saint Sebastian

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Sebastian an early Christian martyr. When my mother was expecting me she and all of my family members were ill with smallpox which was taking many lives in India during the 70's. My mother sought the intercession of Saint Sebastian and when I was born I was healthy, also a few days before my birth my father's aunt Sebasti died and so in her remembrance and  in honor of Saint Sebastian, I was baptized as "Sebasti Suveda". 
Saint Sebastian was a native of Milan but he traveled to Rome because he wanted to suffer persecutions similar to his fellow Christians who were in Rome. At that time there was intense persecution by the Roman emperor Diocletian and Christians were killed in great numbers. 
The first attempt to kill Saint Sebastian was unsuccessful. The Roman soldiers shot several arrows at Saint Sebastian and presumed that he was dead and left his body. However he was found by a kind lady in Rome and was nursed back to health. The second time he was beheaded. Saint Sebastian sought Christian martyrdom as a priced treasure thereby giving testimony by his life and death to Jesus Christ. 
Even today we are called to be a witness to our faith in a world that has made a mockery of religion and persecute those who are faithful to their beliefs. It is an honor to suffer persecution for one's faith because then we resemble Jesus who is our Lord and Savior.
Saint Sebastian, pray for us!