Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, martyrs
One of the things that I've realized as a parent is that I'm more worried about life and death. I'm often wondering: What if something happens to them? What if something happens to me? How can we best make sure that our kids are cared for if something happens? And I worry, too, about this world into which my children have been born: the economic downturn, the world's shrinking access to water, and the wars we wage all figure utmost in my mind. How is it that we bother having children?
Jesus' message in today's gospel passage (John 16:20-23) portrays a very different sense about children. He uses the image of a woman in labor: she feels pain now, but once the baby is born, will rejoice that "a child has been born into the world." Notice that Jesus' language here is not about how the woman herself feels about the particular baby, but rather that there is an overall sense of joy about the very fact of a new little person's existence.Jesus uses this image of childbearing to contrast the current world in which the disciples (and we) live, with the world we shall know when Jesus comes to us again. In doing this, Jesus is giving us the virtue of hope. Children are a sign of hope in the world. If we were to despair, I think we would not bother having children, nor would we bother with faith in Jesus Christ and in his promise that he will return to us. Wouldn't we be focusing our last resources, instead, on living it up and making the most of what we perceive is left? Indeed, I think we do this already sometimes - our culture is despairing of many things.
Paul's own time (Acts 18:9-18) is like our own in some ways: Christians and non-Christians alike believed that big events were about to happen, maybe even the end of the world. Christians in Paul's generation particularly believed that Jesus would come again at any moment. So it is important to see how Paul responds even when he believes the end of his own life is near: he listens to God and he stays in one place "for quite some time." Paul does not freak out by visiting and evangelizing as many people as he can, which is what one might expect. Paul trusts that God wants him to stay in Corinth for a while and in doing so, he exhibits hope in God. God is the final word for Paul. The salvation of the world does not depend on Paul, but on God, and so Paul will trust God.
Hope is one of the three theological virtues that Christians identify. The interesting thing about hope is that because it is a theological virtue, it is not something we can "get" for ourselves on our own. We MUST be cooperating with God in order to receive hope. Today's scriptures are a reminder to us that the salvation of the world does not depend on us, but on God.
The memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions likewise reminds us to hope, despite our experiences in this old world. Charles Lwanga was a page in the royal court in Uganda, during the time when Joseph Mkasa was the chief steward (1886-1887). Mkasa was a Christian who tried to protect the other Christians in the (non-Christian) king's court, and was martyred for his beliefs. Because of Mkasa's martyrdom, Charles Lwanga requested baptism for himself and then he continued Mkasa's legacy of protecting the Christians at court. Ultimately, the king feared that Lwanga and other Christians were not loyal to him and so ordered their execution. Charles Lwanga and his young companions (all under the age of 25) staunchly professed belief in Jesus Christ and were martyred for their belief. To the last, they professed hope in God: "You can burn our bodies, but you cannot harm our souls."
Today, let us thank God for the gift of hope.
- Jana M. Bennett