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2 Peter 1: 2-7
Beloved:
May grace and peace be yours in abundance
through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has bestowed on us
everything that makes for life and devotion,
through the knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and power.
Through these, he has bestowed on us
the precious and very great promises,
so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature,
after escaping from the corruption that is in the world
because of evil desire.
For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,
self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,
devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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When do you sing out loud?
Perhaps at a concert, or on a hot summer day, driving in the car alone – windows down, hair blowing in the wind, not a care in the world.
To me, singing’s a bit like whistling – it’s hard to do when your sad, but easy when you’re happy.
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Today we celebrate the feast of Charles Lwanga and his companions, who sang to God during the darkest and final hour of their lives.
By the end of the 19th century, Catholicism was spreading like wildfire throughout Africa. But whenever the Church begins to flourish, it often meets resistance.
Such was the case in in Uganda.
The king didn’t pay any attention this new religious movement budding beneath his throne, until he was confronted directly by Christ’s teachings.
One day, Charles Lawanga told the king that he was living a life of immorality and debauchery – that his actions offended the Lord and that he should repent.
But the king became so enraged that he decided to kill Charles and his companions, forcing them to march into the woods for two long days, before burning them on wooden stakes.
As they were being led to their death, Charles and his companions sang songs to God – a sign of how deeply rooted their faith in Christ had become.
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As the old Swedish proverb reminds us, “Those who wish to sing always find a song.”
It’s not only true on good days, while jamming out a concert or cruising down the highway, but even in the darkest hour of our lives.
We can always sing of glory because of Him, who first loved us and gave himself for us.
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Image credits: (1) eBay (2) National Catholic Register (3) Dreamstime.com