Persecution and Persuasive Perseverance

Today is the Memorial Mass of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

From Catholic News Service

On June 19, 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized a group of 117 martyrs who died for the Roman Catholic Faith in Vietnam during the nineteenth century. The group was made up of ninety-six Vietnamese, eleven Spaniards, and ten French. Eight of the group were bishops, fifty were priests and fifty-nine were lay Catholics. Some of the priests were Dominicans, others were diocesan priests who belonged to the Paris Mission Society. One such diocesan priest was St. Theophane Venard. (His feast day is November 6.) 

St. Andrew Dung-Lac, who represents this group of heroes, was a Vietnamese diocesan priest. He came from a poor, non-Christian family and was taught by a Christian lay catechist. He worked in the missions with the priests of the Foreign Mission Society of Paris. He was imprisoned and repeatedly tortured during the persecutions of Minh-Meng, the emperor of Vietnam between 1820 and 1840 who was famed for his persecutions of the Christians. Among the many Vietnamese and international martyrs who died alongside St. Andrew Dung-Lac was Saint Peter Thi. 

This feast day and the witnesses of the lives of the martyrs give testament to the sufferings inflicted on the Vietnamese Church, which are among the most terrible in the long history of Christian martyrdom

Persuasive Perseverance - that is one thing that the Catholic Church is known for.  Notice that St. Andrew Dung-Lac was not trained by a nun or a priest but was trained in Christian Doctrine by a lay-person.  He also persevered in the faith in spite of the fact that he was imprisoned and tortured on and off for twenty years.  He retained his faith. How do you do that in the face of ongoing pain and suffering?  It is one thing to believe when all is well and you are well-fed and happy and in no danger of having your door broken down and being carted off to prison for your faith and it is another when persecution happens or life seems to take a turn for the worse.   It is these times we have to prepare for.  They are coming to each of us.  When bad times come, we have to keep our eyes on the prize and to know that all things work for the good for those who believe.  But really, do we mean that good can come out of persecution or a diagnosis of a dread disease or the loss of someone close to us?  How can good come from these things?  I have to answer honestly, I do not know.  No, I don't know.  What I hope to be able to do when and if the time comes is to keep my eyes on the prize, to give a good example to those around me. Nothing shines brighter than a Christian who demonstrates their trust in Jesus at times when all seems lost.  So, prepare today for the evil that might come tomorrow.  Train your eyes to watch for the prize and know that you are not alone in your suffering and pain and that Jesus is by your side offering solace and hope. 

Give a Careful Listen to Home Free by Wayne Watson

Pray for the poor souls today - thank you!