There are some details in the readings and in the lives of the saints we are commemorating today that ought not to be passed over lightly.
The first has to do with the saints we remember today: St. Andrew Kim and St. Paul Chong, two Koreans, who along with hundreds of their fellow Catholics, were put to death because of their religious beliefs. Back in the mid-1800s, Christians in Korea were killed, yet, the religion continued to flourish because faith-filled men and women risked their lives doing what Jesus does in today’s gospel: traveling to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God!
Jesus asked us to be our brothers and sisters’ keeper, looking out for the welfare of all; to engage in devotional practices alone and in public that keep the faith alive; “a faith that treasures God’s personal and unconditional love for us, a love that goes hand in hand with patience as we accept the demands of daily life and a gentleness that serves with a big heart, open hands and a gracious smile.”
Will you do that for Jesus today, for the sake of our church?
