We have come to a point where the list of Mass intentions requested by parishioners has come almost to an end. Therefore, I have begun to appoint more general intentions on a weekly basis. A few weeks ago, when the Diocesan vocations service asked us to begin to pray in earnest for vocations every Thursday, I set the Thursday intention to Vocations to the priesthood and Religious life. I now add to that the Wednesday intention for the Sick and those who are suffering, and the Friday intention for Persecuted Christians, especially at the moment the greatly neglected and ignored Church in Nigeria. For the moment, and especially in this time of pestilence, the Saturday intention is for all those persons working in health care, with a particular focus on medical doctors and nurses. So, to summarise, the Masses these last few days and in the comings weeks (unless a requested intention arrives or has arrived) will take this form:
- Wednesday: for the sick and those who suffer
- Thursday: for vocations to the priesthood and Religious life
- Friday: for the persecuted Church, especially at the moment in Nigeria
- Saturday: for those working in health care, particularly doctors and nurses
Today was a ferial day; however, I spotted in the Church's calendar entry for today a significant collection of Roman martyrs. There is a family of seven brothers, who were killed before their mother's eyes, after which she was killed herself. Let's list them out. The brothers were Saints Ianuarius, Felix, Philip, Sylvanus, Alexander, Vitalis and Martial. The mother was Saint Felicity. They suffered under the wicked emperor Antoninus in a variety of ways, such as being raked, scourged, being thrown off a height and beheading. Learn more about them here.
The second entry in that calendar for today tells of another two Roman martyrs, the virgin sisters Saints Rufina and Secunda, who perished for refusing marriage, both of them naming the Lord Himself as their spouse. They were tortured, one had her head badly broken, the other was beheaded. Learn more about them here.
The first great coincidence today was that the feast day of these Roman martyrs was on a Friday, so my general intention for the persecuted Church, and especially the Nigerian Church, was dreadfully applicable. Christian families in places like Nigeria are being torn apart, with the multiple murders, abductions, etc., and their sufferings are not dissimilar to the sufferings of the martyrs of the Church of all times, and especially those Roman martyrs listed above.
The second great coincidence today was that the gospel reading of the Friday of the fourteenth week of Ordinary Time (which is today) also deal with martyrdom. Here's the gospel reading and it needs no commentary. These are the words of Christ Himself:
"'Remember, I am sending you out to be like sheep among wolves; you must be wary, then, as serpents, and yet innocent as doves. Do not put your trust in men; they will hand you over to courts of judgement, and scourge you in their synagogues; yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings on my account, so that you can bear witness before them, and before the Gentiles. Only, when they hand you over thus, do not consider anxiously what you are to say or how you are to say it; words will be given you when the time comes; it is not you who speak, it is the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you. Brothers will be given up to execution by their brothers, and children by their fathers; children will rise up against their parents and will compass their deaths, and you will be hated by all men because you bear my name; that man will be saved, who endures to the last. Only, if they persecute you in one city, take refuge in another; I promise you, the Son of Man will come, before your task with the cities of Israel is ended.'" - Gospel of S. Matthew, 10: 16-23
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