The Vietnamese Martyrs - Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung Lac & Companions Martyrs - Gospel (Lk 9:23-26)
- NHA CHUA CHA
- Nov 17
- 5 min read
FIRST READING - 2 Macc 7:1; 20-23; 27b-29
"Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother who bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord."
A reading from the Second Book of Maccabees
1 It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law. 20 Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother who, seeing her seven sons perish in a single day, bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. 21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly reason with manly emotion, she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words: 22 “I do not know how you came to be in my womb; it was not I who gave you breath and life, nor was it I who arranged the elements you are made of. 23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shaped the beginning of humankind and brought about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.” 27 She leaned over close to him and, in derision of the cruel tyrant, said in their native language: “Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. 28 I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things.[a] In the same way humankind came into existence. 29 Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with your brothers.”
SECOND READING - Rom 8:31b-39
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans
31 [a]What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. 34 Who will condemn? It is Christ [Jesus] who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things,[b] nor future things, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth,[c] nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 9:23-26
"Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
✠From the Gospel according to Luke
23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily[a] and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
The Vietnamese Martyrs - Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung Lac & Companions Martyrs - Gospel (Lk 9:23-26)
Dear people of God
Today, the Church celebrates the Vietnamese Martyrs.
Once again, God calls all humanity to renounce all things to choose God as the ultimate goal of our lives, following the example of the Vietnamese Martyrs in the past.
God reveals that whoever wishes to follow God must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow God. What does this mean? “It means that when you follow God, you must give up everything that belongs to the world, and when you have renounced all things that belong to the world, you will gain everything; you will have God, and having God means having everything!”
Jesus has mercy on humanity and on the souls of sinful people; therefore, He entrusted humanity, He entrusted all these people to God, and earnestly implored God to protect these souls so that they would not fall into the hands of the evil spirit, away from the temptations of the world. But there was an apostle who betrayed Him, and that was Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles whom He had chosen.
God instructs humanity in God's way. He teaches humanity not only to seek ease and comfort, but He also instructs humanity to always be vigilant and always be ready to fight when encountering difficulties and trials. For it is through difficulties and trials that human faith can grow, and only then will we see the value of God's love bestowed upon all humanity.
Through the illustration of today's Gospel, God desires to instruct humanity to confidently walk on the path of the cross, walk on the path of suffering, so that through that path of suffering, humanity may reach God’s love.
God makes it known that He does not take away human suffering, difficulties, or trials.
Yet, He desires humanity to be loyal and faithful to Him, accepting the suffering, hardship, and trials brought by the world, for only absolute faithfulness to God until the last breath can bring the life of the Kingdom of Heaven to humanity.
God reveals that the plan of the Age of the Holy Spirit has been opened, which is the age in which humanity receives the grace of God's purification to become holy right here on earth.
Why is this? Because the chosen people must become warriors in the role of casting out Satan in this world. A warrior must be clothed in the armor of pure holiness of virtues, must be purified, and washed in the Blood of the Lamb, just like the Martyrs in the past.
That means we must overcome many challenges in the hope of achieving happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the happiest place where humanity can live eternally with God, singing praises, glorifying, and worshiping God alongside the Courtiers and Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Comments