September 28 2017 - Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, martyr - "If I had a thousand lives to offer..."

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is the first canonized Filipino martyr.  He was born in Manila around the year 1600 to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, who were both Christians.  As a young boy he was educated by Dominican priests and served as an altar boy.  He became a professional calligrapher, transcribing documents in beautiful penmanship, and he was a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary.  He married and was a devoted husband and father of two sons and a daughter.

His life took an abrupt turn when he was unjustly accused of murder.  The threat of arrest led Lawrence to flee his home.  He sought asylum with several Dominican priests who were going to Japan to do missionary work.

However, Catholics were being persecuted heavily in Japan.  All those who professed the Catholic faith, and especially missionaries were being jailed and even being sentenced to death by the Japanese.  Lorenzo along with the missionaries were arrested shortly after arriving in Japan and were subjected to unspeakable tortures.  He was killed by being hung upside down and exsanguinated.

As he was dying he said, “If I had a thousand lives to offer, I would offer them to God. So, do with me as you please."  Lorenzo was martyred for his faith, along with 15 Dominicans from Spain, Italy, France, Japan, and the Philippines.

In the Gospel, Herod the Tetrarch is greatly perplexed when Jesus persists in his mission even after John the Baptist had been beheaded. The powers of the world are perplexed by Christ. The Japanese torturers could not understand why Saint Lorenzo and his companion Christians willingly suffered for Christ. “The world does not know us, because it did not know him”.

The world does not understand why we remain true to the teachings of Christ amidst the changing moral values of the world.  It does not understand why Christians in the third world will often walk 3 or 4 hours to Church in Sunday day to celebrate Eucharist. It does not understand why we undergo the embarrassment of confessing our sins to a fallible priest. It does not understand why we fast and do penance and seek the mortification of the flesh. It does not understand why we sacrifice so much of our time and talent and wealth to help people we don’t even know.

And in the world’s lack of understanding, we say, along with Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, “if I had a thousand lives to offer, I would offer them to God.” In our temptations and our hardship, may we be found faithful to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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That religious indifference in our country and around the world may be transformed to radical commitment to the Gospel of Christ.

For the transformation of all attitudes which lead to war, violence, racial hatred, and religious persecution.

For the conversion of Atheists, hardened sinners, lapsed Catholics, and the conversion of all hearts.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.