Memorial of Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity, martyrs
Today’s beautiful first reading comes from the book of Tobit. In today’s passage, we witness Tobit attempting to celebrate a Jewish feast in the midst of a foreign land. While Tobit states that he has walked paths of truth and righteousness, there is also indication that he has suffered for his faith as a foreigner in the land of Assyria. This explains the reaction of his neighbors at his decision to bury the dead body of a kinsmen. Such an act will only assign more blame to Tobit as he continues to follow the law of the Lord while living in a non-Jewish kingdom that does not honor the law of the Lord.
In some way, this story of Tobit represents the experience of all Christians in the world today. While we may sometimes feel at home in the countries and societies in which we live, in another sense we are foreigners. Our true home is heaven, and our live on earth is but a pilgrimage to that final destination. Like Tobit, we may find ourselves subject to the disapproval of our neighbors, who abide by a code that is different than the one of holiness that we strive to follow.
Our gospel passage from Mark indicates that Jesus also was a foreigner in the land. In the parable he tells here, the prophets of the Lord (the servants) are killed by the people who are supposed to be guarding the faith (the tenants). Jesus continues the parable by saying that the owner then sent his son (here the son indicates Jesus), and the son also was killed. Jesus hence foretells his own death in this parable. He identifies himself as someone rejected by the people he has come to save. Although he should be welcomed among all, instead he is criticized and rejected by many. Like Tobit, he is a foreigner in the land.
The saints we celebrate today are the 3nd-century women Perpetua and Felicity. Like Tobit and Jesus, these young women were foreigners in the land. Both were martyred for the faith; “martyr” means witness, and Perpetua and Felicity were certainly witnesses to the gospel. One was of noble birth, the other a servant. Both were mothers who left behind their children rather than deny the Christian faith. Many people, including their own family members, had a difficult time understanding their motives and determination in refusing to deny Christ. It just didn’t make sense to them why these two young women would forfeit so much for their faith. As foreigners often are, these women were misunderstood by many among them, but as martyrs and saints they had a home prepared for them in the Kingdom of God.
Today’s readings and saints hence provide us with one theme of what it means to be Christian: to be a foreigner. We are never really home during our time on earth. Sometimes we are painfully aware of that, as in the case of Tobit. Sometimes we are rejected because of our gospel message, as in the case of Jesus. Sometimes we are called to sacrifice and witness to our faith, as in the case of Perpetua and Felicity.
But the good news is that the theme doesn’t merely end with this idea of being a persecuted foreigner. Rather, the more powerful message is that we are blessed by God. The psalm response is a crucial bridge with these readings: “Blessed the man that fears the Lord” (Ps. 112:1b). Tobit, Jesus, Perpetua, and Felicity are all blessed because they did what was right. They did what they were called to do, and, though they paid great prices, they also receive great blessings. Let us be inspired by their examples that we might not back down from our faith, but may constantly deepen our commitment to it, despite the cost. Today, allow yourself to be challenged by these readings. How can we all seek the blessings of God as foreigners in this world?
- Maria Morrow