Martyrs

Yesterday I misinformed all of you by writing that St. Vincent de Paul came from a wealthy family.  He did not; he family was quite poor.  His dedication to the poor developed during his period as a prisoner on a galley from which he made a dramatic escape.  From then on he gradually became more and more a servant of the poor and unfortunate.
Today, the Church remembers "good king Wenceslaus" of Bohemia, now the patron of the Czech Republic, who was murdered for his adherence to the Catholic Faith, and St. Lawrence Ruiz, a Philippino who was martyred with several others in Japan.  While physical martyrdom may not be in the plan God has for us, a "death to self" is always a part of the road to growth in union with God.  Both Jesus and Marcellin Champagnat invited their followers to intimate communion and community.  Jesus used the last supper as the invitation to this union and in the Mass, the "table of the Lord" is the symbol of self-giving.  The challenge to "love one another as I have loved you" came from the lips of Jesus at that supper and was echoed by Marcellin throughout his life and put into writing in his spiritual testament.  By receiving all who come into our lives, by extending ourselves beyond our limits, we die to self, but find life in abundance, in a bloodless but equally effective way as did the martyrs.
Bro. Rene