Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lac, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs
As the liturgical year comes to a close our readings continue the theme of the end times. There are many ways people react to these end times, especially when it refers to them personally. In my family, we recently buried my mother-in-law. From January 17th until her death on October 25th, she lived in a semi -paralyzed state due to a stroke. At the end of September, her body lost the ability to absorb food and her doctor recommended the cessation of food. These extreme circumstances were a sign that the end was near. To Rosemary’s credit she stayed focused on the things that brought her joy right up until the end. Her joy came from her love of God and family. Despite dire circumstances, her life testified to the Lord and to the life that was beyond death.
The readings for today speak of how the power of testimony to the Lord will carry us beyond that which plagues us. The reading from Revelation reminds us that beyond the disasters lie the Lord of Glory. This Lord is the one to whom angels testified in their hymn of praise, “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.” (Rev. 15:3b) Its melody continues into the psalm to become our response, again testifying to the Lord who is kind, faithful and just. The angels’ testimony points to their reverence of the Lamb who won our salvation and whose works are great and wonderful.
In the Gospel, it is the Lamb of God, Jesus, who cautions us of the adversity that is to come. Notice that these trials will lead us to testify. Times of persecution will lead us to speak wisely. On one level, the church has given us the words of praise from Revelation to use for our testimony. On another level, Jesus says do not be prepared to testify. Indeed, our readiness does not come in preparing words to say. Our readiness to testify is achieved by living a life of holiness that in every way reflects the gratitude of faithful discipleship.
Being a grateful disciple in times of great adversity might seem impossible. Reflect on one adversity in your life that seems an obstacle to your faith. It is of course an obstacle because we allow it to be. Consider how to give that adversity less power in your life. Would it be possible to lift that adversity to the Lord as a prayer of gratitude? Many of the saints, including the Vietnamese martyrs who we remember today, remained faithful disciples to their deaths, despite adverse conditions. They did so because of their ability to keep their focus on and testify to the great and wonderful works of the Lord God Almighty! My prayer for us is that we all of us have the courage at that in our own end time our lives, testify to the Lord!
-Michael Montgomery