May the Lord bless you on this feast of the African martyrs St. Charles Lwanga and His Companions!
We are blessed to receive the Eucharist once again!
As our country deals with different forms of death, we have the encouraging words of Jesus, that “God is a God of the living, not a God of the dead.” We put our faith and hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is through the Resurrection that we have the life to sustain us no matter what happens around us.
Charles Lwanga and his companions were young men and boys in the court of the Ugandan king in 1886 when the king asked them for homosexual favors. Charles said no and encouraged his companions to say no. They stood up for their faith and they were martyred for it. May they be examples to us to stand up for our faith, no matter what happens to us. Amen!
Let us pray for all of our African-American brothers and sisters who have experienced prejudice and violence!
Let us pray for the health & safety of our brothers and sisters who travel.
Let us pray for our beloved dead. Death is just a part of life. It is a bridge between our physical existence and our spiritual existence as eternal souls.
Scripture today has words of strength, courage and encouragement and of eternal life:
“I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did. God did give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, but share your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.” (2 Timothy 1)
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.” (Psalm 123)
“I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die.” (John 11)
“He is not God of the dead but of the living.” (Mark 12)
Blessings, pono and pule!
Fr. Brian Guerrini, ss.cc.
Priest
Molokai