Friday of 7th Week in Easter
STS. CHARLES LWANGA & COMPANIONS:The Martyrs of Uganda
In 1886, barely a few years after Christianity had been introduced in Uganda, King Mwanga, fearing that Christianity would put an end to his lucrative slave trade, started a persecution; his first victims were the pages of his court, even some of his relatives among them, who had refused to submit to his perverse solicitations. Thirteen of the pages, headed by Charles Lwanga, were burned to death, Catholics and Protestants alike. They kept their promise “not to stop praying as long as we live.” Many others followed; twenty-two of them were canonized by Paul VI in 1964. They are the first saints from young, black Africa and seeds of African ecumenism.
First Reading Acts 25:13-21
A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. After several days, Festus brought up Paul’s case to the king. “I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. I told them that wasn’t the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don’t throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand.
“The accusers came at him from all sides, but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive. Since I’m a newcomer here and don’t understand everything involved in cases like this, I asked if he’d be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. Paul refused and demanded a hearing before His Majesty in our highest court. So I ordered him returned to custody until I could send him to Caesar in Rome.”
Gospel: John 21:15-19
After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”
Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, “Follow me.”
Prayer
Lord our God,
your young, holy martyrs from Uganda
were willing to lay down their lives
rather than to give in to evil.
We ask you today for the courage
of your Holy Spirit of wisdom and strength
to be always consistent in our faith
and to respond to your love
also when it demands sacrifices.
We ask your this through Christ our Lord. Amen.