He Had One Other to Send
June 3, 2013
Memorial of Saint Charles
Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
I was reminded of the oracle pronounced by the prophet Amos
against Bethel: “All your festivals shall be turned into mourning, and all your
songs into lamentation.” And I wept. Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried
him. The neighbors mocked me, saying to
one another: “He is still not afraid! Tobit 2:6-8
He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking,
‘They will respect my son.’ But those
tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw
him out of the vineyard. What then will
the owner of the vineyard do? Mark 12:6-9a
Piety
Martyrs of Uganda, pray for the
faith where it is danger and for Christians who must suffer because of their
faith. Give them the same courage, zeal, and joy you showed. And help those of
us who live in places where Christianity is accepted to remain aware of the persecution
in other parts of the world. Amen
Study
God keeps trying to save us and
give us everything that is good.
Despite all the Lord’s efforts, we continue to reject Him.
Ever witness a child and a
parent in the check-out line at a grocery store – the line with all the
candy. The child wants candy and will
not take no for an answer. The parent does
not want to relent. God is the
child. Persistent. Trying everything. If one option does not work, he tries something
else. We are the parent – rejecting all the
attempts to win over our mind to the case.
However, sometimes the humanity
does turn the tables and reflects the persistence of the Lord. The story of today’s patron saint Charles
Lwanga and his murdered brothers is evidence that this level of persistence
still exists in the church. According to
Catholic Online, For those of us who think that the faith and zeal of the early
Christians died out as the Church grew more safe and powerful through the
centuries, the martyrs of Uganda are a reminder that persecution of Christians
continues in modern times, even to the present day.
A group of Christians were
condemned for their faith by the king of Uganda. They had to march 37 miles to the place where
they would be executed. When they reached
the location, the condemned men (all under 25) were kept imprisoned for seven
days. On June 3, they were brought out, wrapped in reed mats, and placed on the
pyre refusing one last chance to turn their back on the Lord. Thirteen Catholics and eleven Protestants
died. They died calling on the name of Jesus and proclaiming, "You can
burn our bodies, but you cannot harm our souls."
When the Catholic community
leaders were expelled from the country, the new Christians carried on their
work, translating and printing the catechism into their natively language and
giving secret instruction on the faith. Without priests, liturgy, and sacraments
their faith, intelligence, courage, and wisdom kept the Catholic Church alive
and growing in Uganda.
Action
Imagine turning the table and
we becoming the persistent one – saying yes over and over to the mission the
Lord has for us. After all, the Lord has
one other to send after His son is killed.
He sends us. What can you do today to show
your persistence in faith, hope and love?
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