Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
St. Charles Lwanga was burned alive for his faith. He is a Christian martyr. The word martyr means “witness,” and there is a saying that goes, “The Church was built on the blood of the martyrs.” Martyrdom is a difficult topic for us modern people because it deals with death and it is relatively foreign to us. Most of us will never even come close to the experience of martyrdom. But it is deeply imbedded in our lives as members of the Church. St. Charles’ remarkable witness and conviction is a good reminder of this.
Today’s readings honor St. Charles’ martyrdom. The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, contains the words of St. Paul. Paul is telling the Ephesians that although he has been with them for awhile, it is time for him to leave and go to Jerusalem. At the end of the passage, Paul says something that struck me as a bit harsh: “I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God.” What could he have meant? And how does this relate to St. Charles and all of the Christian martyrs? First, I think Paul is simply reminding the Ephesians that the Christian life is difficult. For them (and still for some in our own time), it could be difficult to the point of death. Here is the connection to St. Charles. Even 1800 years later, Charles Lwanga understood the weight of his faith when he was baptized. He knew that to be baptized is to take on the Christian life, with its promises of freedom and joy as well we its dangers and struggle.
In today’s gospel, we are reminded of the ongoing tension between the Kingdom of God and the world into which we are born and in which we spend our lives. Our way through this tension is faith in the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ, who redeems the world and calls us to life with God. This is the faith that St. Charles and the many others who died with him knew. It is the faith that we profess, rather free from persecution, and the faith that compels us into the messiness of the world.
by Katherine Schmidt