Martyrs

Chapter 10 of Matthew’s Gospel contains Jesus’ Missionary Discourse, in which He prepares His disciples for their work. He is particularly concerned that His disciples be ready to face persecution.  To that end He says: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.” (Mt. 10:28) 

Those words were especially appropriate for Matthew’s audience in 80 A.D., when his Gospel text was written down. It was a terrible period of persecution and martyrdom for anyone who dared to identify themselves as friends of Jesus and followers of ‘The Way’.   

In 1994, Pope John Paul II said: “At the end of the second millennium, the church has once again become a church of martyrs.”  Pope Francis echos the same message for the 21^st Century. Search online for 21^st Century Martyrs.  You will see names like Clement Shahbaz Bhatti and Annalena Tonelli. 

Mr. Bhatti was shot by a fringe group in Pakistan because he defended the rights of the Christian minority.  Ms. Tonelli was shot because she operated a hospital that cared for tuberculosis patients and victims of HIV/AIDS in Somalia. As lay witnesses to their faith, they are on the road to canonization.   

Could you be a martyr?  I’d like to think I could. But honestly, I’m not sure.  For which teachings of our faith might you be willing to die?

                                                The Movie Version of Your Life

                                        (A Lighthearted Summertime Reflection)

A while ago a ‘Ted Talk’ presenter said something like: “We are the lead actors in the story of our lives”.  That language got me to think about seeing the thread of our lives as a movie.    

So, imagine that you’re writing the script for the movie version of your life.  What would the core message be?  Name 2 or 3 real-life incidents that would capture your basic story line.   Include a time of crisis in your life.  

The Ted Talk presenter also said something like: “Everyone else in our lives are ‘supporting actors and actresses’.”   Name your real-life best supporting actors and actresses…people who made/make a big difference in the unfolding of your life.   

How would you show your relationship with God in the movie?  Is/was there a particular incident in your life when you just knew that God was with you?  How would you depict that moment?       

If God/Jesus were to name the film of your life, what would it be called?

                                         Visiting Jesus in the Middle of the Night

In last Sunday’s Gospel we heard Jesus’ famous sentence: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)  Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, who comes to talk to Jesus at night.   

Why does Nicodemus seek Jesus out at night?  My hunch is that he doesn’t want to be seen with Jesus in public.  As a member of the Sanhedrin, he’s probably afraid of what his friends might think. He’s not exactly a wholehearted disciple!     

But when Jesus dies, Nicodemus comes into the light to help bury Him.     

Do you ever worry about people who grow up in our faith, but rarely go to church?  Maybe they are like Nicodemus. Maybe they also talk to Jesus ‘in the middle of the night’... when they’re in trouble and don’t know where to turn.  In fact, I bet they do.     

Nicodemos became a Saint.  His feast day is August 31^st.

This week let’s pray for people like Nicodemus who may be hidden friends of Jesus.  And let’s pray for ourselves, that we’ll be less judgmental and as accepting of others as Jesus was.

                                                         How’s Your Conscience?

As I get older I have some regrets.  I think about people I hurt when I was younger.  Some of those early errors had long-lasting effects.  They shaped relationships.  Regrets like these drive me buggy.  I wondered if other people experience the same thing.       

So I brought this issue to my spiritual director who assured me that I am not alone. He said that psychological studies show that many people develop ‘more sensitive consciences’ as they get older.  Later in life we often see what we couldn’t see sooner.    

That comforted me. But now the problem is what can I do about it?  I know I can pray for people I hurt.  But that doesn’t seem enough.  Mulling it over, I remembered that 12 step programs address this issue.  Steps 8 and 9 include compiling a list of people that we harmed and making direct amends to them when possible.

So I’m trying to do this. It’s a little awkward, but it feels like the right thing to do. 

How sensitive is your conscience?  Do you have similar regrets?  Will you join me in making amends to people we’ve hurt in the past…or maybe more recently?