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Gospel: Luke 7: 31-35
Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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From the moment of the resurrection onward, various governments have tried stomping out Christianity from their culture and society, beginning with the Roman Empire.
Some purges have killed tens of thousands of Christians at a time – men, women, even children.
In fact, more Christians were killed in the 20th century than all previous centuries combined!
But, mysteriously, the Church continues to grow. In fact, it’s grown by one-million percent since the calling of the Twelve Apostles.
And all of them, with the exception of Judas and John (who died in exile), we’re martyred.
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Today we remember the 10,000 Catholics who were martyred in Korea from the 17th century onward, including Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and his companions.
For centuries, Christians were persecuted by the Korean government because of their teaching on baptism – the idea that all are equal in Christ, a radical shift away from the traditional class-based system that bound the Korean culture and society together.
Although there was a strong push to eradicate the Christian faith, mysteriously the Church continued to grow.
In fact, it remains active in Korea – and in most parts around the world – today.
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So, what can the example of the martyrs say to us?
While we don’t actively seek to suffer for our faith, there is an incredible power that is released when we do.
Sometimes we need to speak out; stand up; profess our faith in some way for the sake of Jesus.
“Be not afraid,” the Lord says. Anytime we bear witness to Jesus, the Church will mysteriously grow.
How might we bear witness to Him today?
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Image credits: (1) The Persecuted (2) Catholic Truth Society, Korean Martyrs (3) The King’s Corner, WordPress.com