Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and
Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 472
Brothers and
sisters:
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
Responsorial PsalmPS 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
GospelLK 12:8-12
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
Meditation: "The Holy Spirit will teach you what to say
What is
the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid? Jesus knows that his
disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give
them what they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that
it's possible to reject the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up
the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. The scriptural expression to deny
someone means to disown them. Jesus also speaks
against blaspheming the Holy Spirit. What is blasphemy and why is it
reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or
outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It's contrary to the respect
due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit
as theunforgivable sin. Jesus spoke about this sin immediately after the
scribes and Pharisees had attributed his miracles to the work of the devil
instead of to God.
A sin
can only be unforgivable if repentance is impossible. If someone repeatedly
closes his heart to God and shuts his ears to his voice, he comes to a point
where he can no longer recognize God even when God makes himself known. Such a
person ends up perceiving evil as good and good as evil (Isaiah 5:20). To fear
such a sin, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of
the need for God's grace and mercy. There are no limits to the mercy of God,
but we can reject his mercy by refusing to ask God's pardon for our wrongdoing
and by refusing to accept the help he gives us to turn away from sin and from
whatever would keep us from doing his will for our lives. God gives grace and
help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn
away from sin and disbelief results from our own sinful pride and the loss of
hope in God.
What is
the basis of our hope and confidence in God? John the Evangelist tells us that
"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus' death
on the cross won for us our salvation and adoption as the children of God. The
love and mercy of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the
Holy Spirit are freely given to those who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and
Savior. Is your hope securely placed in Christ and his victory on the cross?
"Lord
Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. May I trust you at all times and rely on
your grace in times of testing and temptation. Let the fire of your Holy Spirit
burn in my heart and fill me with a consuming love for you."
 Fidelity to the Holy Spirit’s Inspirations |
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Memorial of Saint
John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and their
companions, martyrs
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Father James
Swanson, LC
Luke 12:8-12
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell
you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will
acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God. Everyone who speaks a word against
the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy
Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before
rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that
moment what you should say."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here as
I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give
me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you
for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in
return.
Petition: Grant me, Lord, the grace to stand up for my
beliefs today.
1. Too Cowardly for Martyrdom: Sometimes it’s very difficult to acknowledge
Jesus before others. We think of the possibility of martyrdom, and we all
wonder if we would be able to be faithful to Jesus if it meant death. We may
think that we witness to him pretty well in our everyday lives, but do we
really? We listen to attacks on Jesus and his Church without objection.
Sometimes we even kind of nod or smile as if to let on that we agree. We
would never say such things ourselves, but we don’t really stand up for Jesus
even when there is no possibility of martyrdom. How many of us have a
terrible time just making the sign of the Cross in a public place? It’s a
simple thing, something I do every time I come to the table to eat, but
somehow, it can be incredibly difficult in a restaurant, where the only
burden is that “people might think I’m a Catholic.”
2. Accepting the Truth: Christ’s teaching about blasphemy against
the Holy Spirit may be worrisome because we may think that there exists some
unforgivable sin. Yet, there is no unforgivable sin. God’s love and mercy is
all-powerful against sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has been
understood by the Church to mean final impenitence -- that the Holy Spirit is
trying to convince us of our sins and we won’t accept them. If we are finally
convinced, there is no blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. However, if we die
without having accepted his truth, then we will be guilty of blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit. Do I let the Holy Spirit convince me of my
sinfulness? Are there things that the Church teaches as wrong that I don’t
want to accept? Are there sins that I think aren’t too bad because I want to
make them a part of my life? Sins cannot be forgiven if they are not accepted
as sins.
3. Witnessing with My Life: Maybe we don’t worry too much about being
hauled into court for our Christianity, but we still have to testify to it
every day with our lives. No matter where we go or what we do, we are
witnesses to our belief in Christ. The Greek word “martyr” means “witness.” I
need to let the Holy Spirit speak through me when I am in front of others.
People will be judging not just me, but all Christians by my actions, so I
need to live charity as the mark of a genuine Christian. I need to foster the
humility of a person who looks at the greatness and holiness of God the
Father and yet recognizes his own pettiness and sinfulness. I need to live
all the virtues in the concrete circumstances of my daily life. The only way
I can do all these things is by letting the Holy Spirit speak through the
actions of my life, so that my life is the testimony that others need it to
be.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, I can hear your call to a deeper
intimacy with you. I want to draw closer, yet at times, I also feel
reluctance. Help my weak will. Inflame my heart with a greater love for you
so that I can be a true “martyr”, a witness to your faithful love. Open my
heart to your Holy Spirit so that I live as a true Christian.
Resolution: When I am in front of others, I will foster
the awareness that I am a witness to the truth of Christ’s revelation and try
to let the Holy Spirit speak through my actions.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
LUKE 12:8-12
(Romans 4:13, 16-18; Psalm 105)
LUKE 12:8-12
(Romans 4:13, 16-18; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say" (v 12).
READING: Jesus encouraged his disciples to be fearless in their proclamation of the gospel. The disciples need not worry about how they should defend themselves when brought before the authorities. The Holy Spirit would enlighten and strengthen them as they bore witness to their faith. Jesus did not promise to save them from suffering or even death, but he did guarantee that he would testify to their fidelity before God. Jesus warned his followers of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. These are sins that despair of salvation, presume on God's mercy, envy another's spiritual good, resist known truths of faith, and are obstinate in sin and impenitent at death. Although each sin put an obstacle in the way of God's mercy, God's grace could overcome even these sins. But if the unrepentant refused God's power to save them, they also denied the possibility of mercy and forgiveness in Jesus.
REFLECTING: Do I thank God for the grace of faith.
PRAYING: Holy Spirit, strengthen me when I am weak.
Memorial of John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues,
priest, and companions, martyrs
John de Brébeuf was a French Jesuit. He was sent as a
missionary to the frontier of Canada at age 32, and spent the rest of his life
there. Brébeuf had great difficulty learning the Huron Indian language.
However, he eventually wrote a catechism in Huron, and a French-Huron
dictionary for use by other missionaries. It was John de Brebeuf who named the
present day version of the Indian game lacrosse because the stick used reminded
him of a bishop's crosier (la crosse). John was martyred in 1649, tortured to
death by the Iroquois. His martyrdom created a wave of vocations and missionary
fervor in France, and gave new heart to the missionaries in New France in
Canada.
Isaac
Jogues was a missionary to New France in Canada, working among the Huron
Indians. This was a rough assignment - not only were the difficult living
conditions, but because the locals blamed the "Blackrobes" for any
disease, ill luck, or other problems that occurred where they were. Jogues was
captured in 1642 by the Mohawks, and tortured for 13 months. He taught the
faith to any who would listen, and finally escaped. Jogues recuperated in
France, but returned to the New World to continue his work with the natives.
Jogues was martyred with fellow Jesuit priest John de Brébeuf and several lay
missionaries while on a peace mission to the Iroquois. He was one of the North
American Martyrs.
The Lord remembers his covenant for
ever.
‘When they take you before the authorities, do not worry ...’Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem. His words in today’s gospel fit well the lives of today’s martyrs who are the patron saints of North America. These French priests were killed in the early days of the colonisation of Canada and the USA. Jesus’ words are especially spoken to his disciples who may be fearful of physical suffering, but he reminds them that God’s favour is the one thing that matters. Because good people do their best to choose the things of God, there is no cause for fear. Let us dwell today on the psalm and know that God remembers his holy word.
October 19
St. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf and Companions
St. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf and Companions
Isaac Jogues (1607-1646): Isaac Jogues and his
companions were the first officially recognized martyrs of the North American
continent officially recognized by the Church. As a young Jesuit, Isaac Jogues,
a man of learning and culture, taught literature in France. He gave up that
career to work among the Huron Indians in the New World, and in 1636 he and his
companions, under the leadership of John de Brébeuf, arrived in Quebec. The
Hurons were constantly warred upon by the Iroquois, and in a few years Father
Jogues was captured by the Iroquois and imprisoned for 13 months. His letters
and journals tell how he and his companions were led from village to village,
how they were beaten, tortured and forced to watch as their Huron converts were
mangled and killed.
An
unexpected chance for escape came to Isaac Jogues through the Dutch, and he
returned to France, bearing the marks of his sufferings. Several fingers had
been cut, chewed or burnt off. Pope Urban VIII gave him permission to offer
Mass with his mutilated hands: "It would be shameful that a martyr of
Christ be not allowed to drink the Blood of Christ." Welcomed home as a
hero, Father Jogues might have sat back, thanked God for his safe return and
died peacefully in his homeland. But his zeal led him back once more to the
fulfillment of his dreams. In a few months he sailed for his missions among the
Hurons.
In 1646
he and Jean de Lalande, who had offered his services to the missioners, set out
for Iroquois country in the belief that a recently signed peace treaty would be
observed. They were captured by a Mohawk war party, and on October 18 Father
Jogues was tomahawked and beheaded. Jean de Lalande was killed the next day at
Ossernenon, a village near Albany, New York.
The first
of the Jesuit missionaries to be martyred was René Goupil who, with Lalande,
had offered his services as an oblate. He was tortured along with Isaac Jogues
in 1642, and was tomahawked for having made the Sign of the Cross on the brow
of some children.
Jean de
Brébeuf (1593-1649): Jean de Brébeuf was a French Jesuit who came to Canada at
the age of 32 and labored there for 24 years. He went back to France when the
English captured Quebec (1629) and expelled the Jesuits, but returned to his
missions four years later. Although medicine men blamed the Jesuits for a
smallpox epidemic among the Hurons, Jean remained with them.
He
composed catechisms and a dictionary in Huron, and saw 7,000 converted before
his death. He was captured by the Iroquois and died after four hours of extreme
torture at Sainte Marie, near Georgian Bay, Canada.
Father
Anthony Daniel, working among Hurons who were gradually becoming Christian, was
killed by Iroquois on July 4, 1648. His body was thrown into his chapel, which
was set on fire.
Gabriel
Lalemant had taken a fourth vow—to sacrifice his life for the Native Americans.
He was horribly tortured to death along with Father Brébeuf.
Father
Charles Garnier was shot to death as he baptized children and catechumens
during an Iroquois attack.
Father
Noel Chabanel was killed before he could answer his recall to France. He had
found it exceedingly hard to adapt to mission life. He could not learn the
language, the food and life of the Indians revolted him, plus he suffered
spiritual dryness during his whole stay in Canada. Yet he made a vow to remain
until death in his mission.
These
eight Jesuit martyrs of North America were canonized in 1930.
Comment:
Faith and heroism planted belief in Christ's cross deep in our land. The Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs. Are we as eager to keep that cross standing in our midst? Do we bear witness to deep-seated faith in us, the Good News of the cross (redemption) into our home, our work, our social world?
Faith and heroism planted belief in Christ's cross deep in our land. The Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs. Are we as eager to keep that cross standing in our midst? Do we bear witness to deep-seated faith in us, the Good News of the cross (redemption) into our home, our work, our social world?
Quote:
"My confidence is placed in God who does not need our help for accomplishing his designs. Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to him, and not to spoil his work by our shortcomings" (from a letter of Isaac Jogues to a Jesuit friend in France, September 12, 1646, a month before he died).
"My confidence is placed in God who does not need our help for accomplishing his designs. Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to him, and not to spoil his work by our shortcomings" (from a letter of Isaac Jogues to a Jesuit friend in France, September 12, 1646, a month before he died).
Patron Saint of:
North America
North America
LECTIO: LUKE
12,8-12
Lectio:
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord,
Lord,
our help and guide,
make your love the foundation of our lives.
May our love for you express itself
in our eagerness to do good for others.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 12,8-12
Jesus said to his disciples: 'I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be disowned in the presence of God's angels.
Jesus said to his disciples: 'I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be disowned in the presence of God's angels.
'Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be
forgiven, but no one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. 'When
they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry
about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the
Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.'
3) Reflection
• Context. While Jesus is on the way toward Jerusalem, Luke in chapter 11, that precedes our passage, presents him as having the intention to reveal the abyss of the merciful acting of God and at the same time the profound misery hidden in the heart of man and particularly, in those who have the task of being witnesses of the Word and of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Jesus presents such realities with a series of reflections which provoke effects in the reader: to feel attracted by the force of his Word to the point of feeling judged interiorly and detached from all desires of greatness which shake and agitate man (9, 46). Besides, the reader identifies himself with various attitudes that the teaching of Jesus arouses: above all, he recognizes himself as follower of Christ in the disciple and sent to precede him in the role of messenger of the kingdom; and also in the one who hesitates somewhat in following him; in the Pharisee or Doctor of the Law, slave of their interpretations and life style. In summary, the course of the reader in chapter 11 is characterized by this encounter with the teaching of Jesus who reveals to him the intimacy of God, the mercy of God’s Heart, but also the truth of his being a man. In chapter 12, instead, Jesus opposes the perverted judgment of man to the goodness of God who always gives with superabundance. Man’s life enters into play here. It is necessary to be attentive to the perversion of the human judgment or better to the hypocrisy that distorts values in order to privilege only one’s own interests and advantages, more than being interested in life, that life which is accepted gratuitously. The Word of God launches the reader an appeal on how to face the question regarding life: man will be judged on his behaviour at the time of threats. It is necessary to be concerned not so much of the men who can “kill the body” but rather to have at heart the fear of God who judges and corrects. But Jesus does not promise the disciples that they will be free from threats, persecutions, but he assures them that they will have God’s help at the moments of difficulty.
• Context. While Jesus is on the way toward Jerusalem, Luke in chapter 11, that precedes our passage, presents him as having the intention to reveal the abyss of the merciful acting of God and at the same time the profound misery hidden in the heart of man and particularly, in those who have the task of being witnesses of the Word and of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Jesus presents such realities with a series of reflections which provoke effects in the reader: to feel attracted by the force of his Word to the point of feeling judged interiorly and detached from all desires of greatness which shake and agitate man (9, 46). Besides, the reader identifies himself with various attitudes that the teaching of Jesus arouses: above all, he recognizes himself as follower of Christ in the disciple and sent to precede him in the role of messenger of the kingdom; and also in the one who hesitates somewhat in following him; in the Pharisee or Doctor of the Law, slave of their interpretations and life style. In summary, the course of the reader in chapter 11 is characterized by this encounter with the teaching of Jesus who reveals to him the intimacy of God, the mercy of God’s Heart, but also the truth of his being a man. In chapter 12, instead, Jesus opposes the perverted judgment of man to the goodness of God who always gives with superabundance. Man’s life enters into play here. It is necessary to be attentive to the perversion of the human judgment or better to the hypocrisy that distorts values in order to privilege only one’s own interests and advantages, more than being interested in life, that life which is accepted gratuitously. The Word of God launches the reader an appeal on how to face the question regarding life: man will be judged on his behaviour at the time of threats. It is necessary to be concerned not so much of the men who can “kill the body” but rather to have at heart the fear of God who judges and corrects. But Jesus does not promise the disciples that they will be free from threats, persecutions, but he assures them that they will have God’s help at the moments of difficulty.
• To know how to recognize Jesus. The courageous commitment to
recognize the friendship with Jesus publicly implies as consequence personal
communion with Him at the moment of his return to judge the world. At the same
time, the betrayal “who will deny me”, the one who is afraid to confess and
recognize Jesus publicly, condemns himself. The reader is invited to reflect on
the crucial importance of Jesus in the history of salvation: it is necessary to
decide either with Jesus or against Him and of his Word of Grace; from this
decision, to recognize or to reject Jesus, depends our salvation. Luke makes it
evident that the communion that Jesus gives at the present time to his
disciples will be confirmed and will becomes perfect at the moment of his
coming in glory (“he will come in his glory and of the Father and of the
angels”: 9, 26). The call to the Christian community is very evident: even if
it has been exposed to the hostility of the world, it is indispensable not to
cease to give a courageous witness of Jesus, of communion with him, to value
and not to be ashamed to show oneself a Christian.
• Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Here Luke understands
blasphemy as offensive speaking or speaking against. This verb was applied to
Jesus when in 5, 21 he had forgiven sins. The question presented in this
passage may give rise in the reader to some difficulty: is blasphemy against
the Son of man less grave or serious than the one against the Holy Spirit? The
language of Jesus may seem rather strong for the reader of the Gospel of Luke:
through the Gospel he has seen Jesus who showed the behaviour of God who goes
to look for sinners, who is demanding but who knows how to wait for the moment
of return to him or that the sinner attains maturity. In Mark and Matthew
blasphemy against the Spirit is the lack of recognizing the power of God in the
exorcisms of Jesus. But in Luke it may mean the deliberate and known rejection
of the prophetic Spirit that is working in the actions and teaching of Jesus,
that is to say, a rejection of the encounter with the merciful acting of
salvation with the Father. The lack of recognition of the divine origin of the
mission of Jesus, the direct offenses to the person of Jesus, may be forgiven,
but anyone who denies the acting of the Holy Spirit in the mission of Jesus
will not be forgiven. It is not a question of an opposition between the person
of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, or of some contrast, symbol of two diverse
periods of history, that of Jesus and that of the community after the Passover,
but definitively, the evangelist wants to show that to reject the person of
Christ is equal to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
4) Personal questions
• Are you aware that to be a Christian requires the need to face difficulties, deceit, dangers, and even to risk one’s own life to give witness of one’s own friendship with Jesus?
• Are you aware that to be a Christian requires the need to face difficulties, deceit, dangers, and even to risk one’s own life to give witness of one’s own friendship with Jesus?
• Do you become embarrassed of being a Christian? Are you more
concerned about the judgments of men, their approval, are these more important
for you or that of losing your friendship with Christ?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh our Lord,
Yahweh our Lord,
how majestic is your name throughout the world!
Whoever keeps singing of your majesty higher than the heavens,
even through the mouths of children, or of babes in arms. (Ps
8,1-2)
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