Courageous Witnesses of Faith - Weekday Homily Video

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes and his fellow martyr companions.

St. Christopher was born in Mexico, and after ordination to the priesthood worked with the poor and indigenous people, most notably founding schools and forming agrarian cooperatives. He lived in a time when the Mexican government was strongly anti-Catholic and closed all seminaries. He repeatedly sought to have them reopened.

For his good works, he was falsely charged with promoting armed rebellion and was arrested on his way to celebrate Mass on this date in 1927. Four days later, he was executed along with 21 other diocesan priests and three laymen.

St. Christopher is a patron saint of Mexico and a symbol of resistance against religious oppression. He is an example of being willing to give courageous witness to Christ despite worldly challenges.

Following God's Will

In a far different setting and under very different circumstances, eight men stood in the aisle just before the large sanctuary of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston 20 years ago today.

We were from different cities and states and even one from Vietnam. We were about to publicly commit our lives to the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ. Although we did not face the violence and martyrdom of countless men and women before us, we were about to enter into a new experience of what it was like to serve the Church as a priest in a new millennium.

My classmates and I had between 4 and 6 years of preparation for that moment and yet there was something unknowable about what we were promising our lives. Each of us was about to take the greatest leap of faith we had ever done before our Lord, the Cardinal, and a full Cathedral.

Now 20 years later, reflecting on that day still brings me joy. To recreate the sense of following God’s will with my brother seminarians in front of our families and friends, and people from parishes that we had served, and still others who did not know us but came because we are all one Church.

All of us truly went rejoicing to the house of the Lord which was the Cathedral in the South End of Boston. This was a great reminder that despite the world’s and even the human fallenness of members of the Church…that God was still bringing new life and new beginning in His Church.

In that beautiful setting on such a festive day in our Church we were reminded of what today’s Gospel from John teaches us…that Jesus is the true vine, and His Father (and Our Father) is the vine grower.

God Helps Us Conform Ourselves to Him 

If you ask any priest he will tell you that seminary is a time of being pruned. It is a time to listen to the Word of God and to allow God to help you conform yourself to Christ by working on the rough edges that we all possess.

Each year at this time, I make a special appeal for men, young and not so young, who are free, to consider whether God is calling you to the priesthood. Like Matthew the tax collector, I was surprised, very surprised when God called me discern a vocation to the priesthood.

Yet, all God asks is for an open mind and heart, whether it is to the priesthood, married, or religious life. The same principle is in play, are we willing to believe that in order for us to find meaning and joy in this life that we need to remain in Jesus, that we need to have our lives grafted onto His? Not separate, not independent or even part-time in our relationship with Jesus and the Father but fully connected.

Twenty years ago, I could never have imagined the adventure that God has taken my classmates and me on…thank God that He only shows us a little around the bend at a time.

What I can say is that being a priest is God’s plan for me and I am convinced that it is through my parents, brother, priests, sisters, and other friends like you that God is at work and has brought me through these past chapters till now.

My brothers and sisters, my prayer is that God will continue to bless each one of us here, my classmates, and our families, that we will remain in Him and bear much fruit, and when needed, to be courageous witnesses of faith inspired by the saints, and especially today by St. Christopher and his brother companions, true witnesses to Christ.

• Today’s Readings

• Father Marcham's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page. 

• To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday–Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)