Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs
Today's Scripture
I am taking a little liberty with the title of this post. The better translation from the Greek would read, “be not terrified” (Luke 21:9), but elsewhere Jesus says, “be not afraid” (e.g., Matthew 28:10). This was Pope John Paul II’s great message on October 16, 1978, when he was elected pope and spoke to the world for the first time. This same message is one of the instructions Jesus imparts to His disciples in today’s Gospel reading from St. Luke.
In five days this liturgical year will be brought to an end and we will embark on the great adventure of a new liturgical year. As we have seen, the readings for the last few weeks have been apocalyptic and eschatological. Today’s readings fit that pattern as well. In light of the recent film, “2012,” I have been asked with a surprising frequency whether or not I think the world will come to an end in 2012.
Whenever the world comes to an end, just as whenever our lives come to an end, it is only the ending of one thing (and a comparatively short one at that). More importantly, such endings mark new beginnings. In the cases of the ends of our lives and the end of the world, they mark the beginning of our entrance into eternity, God’s eternal Sabbath rest. The liturgical year helps train us through the Church’s sacramental and liturgical rhythms, so that we are better prepared for our future journey into the eternity of God.
Into this journey, always present and always future, Jesus interjects with, “be not afraid.” This is especially apropos considering today’s first reading, and considering today’s memorial. Today’s first reading from the Book of Daniel, is a complex one, which is the brunt of much debate among theologians and biblical scholars throughout the centuries and in our own day. But one thing is for certain, it depicts the passing away of the earthly kingdoms of this world, the earthly nations and cities, and the coming of God’s eternal kingdom, our home, as a pilgrim people on earth and as supernatural born citizens in heaven, which will last forever.
Today’s memorial celebrates St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his fellow companions and 116 companions, all martyred in Vietnam. The entire span of the persecution lasted over 200 years, and cost the lives of approximately 130,000 Catholic Christians!!! These 117 canonized Saints show us the hope of the world to come that leads Jesus to say, “be not afraid.” Persecuted by another kingdom of this world, these Saints recognized that they belonged to another Kingdom, the Kingdom of God envisioned in Daniel’s description from today’s first reading. With this hope in our hearts and minds, let us finish this liturgical year strong, and get fired up to live out the next liturgical year with more spiritual fervor and determination than the last. Let’s prepare ourselves for an Advent like we’ve never celebrated before, and Advent that makes us long for Christmas so that we may live out the message of Jesus in our own lives for the benefit of others.
-Jeff Morrow