Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Today is the feast day of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions. Lwanga was one of twenty-two Ugandan men who were imprisoned for their refusal to commit immoral acts at the command of King Mwanga. He continued to preach the Catholic faith in prison right up until the moment of his death. King Mwanga’s hope to destroy the Christian faith backfired. Many people were inspired by these young martyrs, and the faith grew and spread. Charles Lwanga and his companions remained courageous and unshakable in their faith despite the hardships and torture the faced. We, too, are called to be witnesses to Christian living by the examples of our own lives. We are all called upon to spread the word of God, whether by word or deed.
In today’s gospel, Jesus preached his first great sermon to a very large crowd in Galilee atop a large mountain. In his “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus laid out a framework to help show us the path to eternal life. These eight beatitudes challenge us to take seriously Jesus’s approach to life. We have the freedom to decide which path is right for us as we search for the true joy Jesus promises us. However, Jesus doesn’t say that our path will be easy. We all face difficulties and hardships along our journey, but Jesus is there to accompany us. As Pope Francis said in his message to the youth during World Youth Day 2014, “If we open the door to Jesus and allow him to be part of our lives, if we share our joys and sorrows with him, then we will experience the peace and joy that only God of love can give.”
Perhaps today we can choose one beatitude to look at more deeply. Praying each of the words slowly and deliberately may inspire us to act in new ways. St. Charles Lwanga and his companions, despite the threat of suffering and death, were examples of Christian living. They continued to live the gospel and led others to God, even though it led to their death. Let us pray that we may also have the courage and devotion to follow Jesus’s example and inspire others by our Christian witness.
-Jessica Gabrielli