Word to the Wise
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 - Sts. Isaac Jogues, John De Brebeuf and Companions, North American Martyrs
[Ephesians 2:12-22 and Luke 12:35-38]You were at that time without Christ, alienated from the community of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the Blood of Christ....He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. [Ephesians]
When I was in Catholic elementary school so many years ago, I recall the occasional little pamphlet of the lives of the saints that would be given to us for our instruction and edification. One story that I recall vividly is that of Isaac Jogues, SJ, and companions. Perhaps it was because at grade school age there is a fascination with deformity and bloody events. We were told that Jogues' fingers were cut off and he had to get special permission from Rome to celebrate Mass because he lost particular fingers. These Jesuit missionary martyrs and companions are immortalized now in a special shrine in New York state. However, the reason for all that happened to them is contained in the words from the Letter to the Ephesians quoted above! St. Paul's vision is very broad! Christ came to save ALL people, not just those who belonged to the Jewish tradition. His saving work transcended the Law of Moses and is therefore effective for those who come from pagan or other religious traditions. The desire to preach this truth where it is unknown motivated (and continues to motivate) missionary efforts. It is a powerful motivation because missionaries like Brebeuf and Jogues gave their lives for the sake of the gospel! This is not just a thing of the past, either. Missionaries in violent environments are still being martyred from time to time. This may happen even in so-called "Catholic" countries where the preacher upsets the powerful, as did Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated while celebrating Mass! While missionary efforts in our own day focus more on bearing witness than on converting people from one faith tradition to another, the message remains a powerful one which all the baptized are called to share. We may not be called to go to another country or suffer torture or death, but we do live in a culture that is in many ways alienated from God. The "new evangelization" called for by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI summons all of us, even if it is only to go next door or even into the next room! AMEN
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