Yesterday we celebrated the feast of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter – two first century Christians who proved their love for Christ and his Church by shedding their own blood for him – with the strength provided by the working of the Holy Spirit deep within them. Today we honor 22 African martyrs of the 19th century who were privileged to prove their love for Christ and his Church in the same way – in Uganda, Africa.
Charles Lwanga was a member of King Mwanga's court – but when the King's demands became unreasonable, Charles and 21 companion youth were tortured and killed for the faith! It was a glorious day for the Church in Africa. Pope Paul VI said of them that the African Martyrs add another page to the martryology – the Church's roll of honor – an occasion both of mourning and of joy!...Africa has been washed by the blood of these latest martyrs, the first of this new age…Africa is reborn free and independent!
It is spiritual freedom and spiritual independence that is always of greater worth than material freedom and independence!
In the Office of Readings today we read: We must all remember that we are warriors, fighting on the battlefield of faith. God the Father sees all we do; the angels watch and so does Christ. What honor and glory and joy, to do battle in the presence of God, and to have Christ approve our victory. Let us arm ourselves in full strength and prepare ourselves for the ultimate struggle with blameless hearts, true faith, and unyielding courage.
In the first reading for Mass, the story of the mother and her seven sons is outstanding motivation for us to die at the hands of men – with God-given hope of new life – rather than to give in to unreasonable and unfounded demands to obey a lesser god!
Those who truly live the life of the beatitudes understand that the blessedness of that life is all about saying YES to God – come what may!
Having God first saying YES to us by loving us and creating and redeeming us; we now can say YES to him and to the Redeemer and to the Sanctifier so that they can do what they will do through us – for the life of the Church, the growth of the mystical Body of Christ, for the eternal welfare of all of us who are invited to the great wedding feast of the Lamb in our Father's house!
May we make our YES strong, clear and irrevocable today – and thus give glory, praise and thanks to God – forever!
Our souls have been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare!
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