A little over 850 years ago, the Catholic archbishop of Canterbury England was martyred in his own cathedral while praying vespers.
From his youth, Thomas Becket had been a good friend of King Henry II and had been named by the king as both chancellor of England in 1155 and Archbishop of Canturbury in 1162.
The King no doubt hoped that Becket would use his ecclesiastical office to benefit the crown, but the Archbishop recognized that his first loyalty was not to the world, but to God. When the King began to overstep his authority and infringe upon the Church, Thomas dutifully opposed the king.
The rift escalated when the king confiscated church property in retribution and the archbishop issued the king’s excommunication.
According to one account, one day the king publicly denounced the archbishop "What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?"
On the 29th of December in the Year of Our Lord 1170, four of the king’s knights, set out for Canterbury to confront the archbishop and bludgeoned him to death.
Within 4 days of Christmas, we have the celebration of St Stephen, martyred for the faith, St. John the Apostle, not martyred, but excruciatingly tortured for the faith. We have the slaughter of babies, on the Feast of the Holy Innocents yesterday, and then today, we have the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket, a bishop of England who was assassinated on his Cathedral steps. It is almost as though the red Christmas poinsettias decorating the sanctuary witness to blood—blood spilt for Christ.
These faithful ones, celebrated in proximity to the birth of our savior, remind us that loving the one born on Christmas has consequences. He was opposed by Herod, by his own people, by the powers of sin and death, and by Satan the accursed one. And those who love Christ and follow him will also know and experience the hostility of those same powers and principalities.
For it is not just archbishops and apostles who are called to stand up for the Truth of the Gospel, but all Christians. Kneeling before the crib, carrying our cross, and standing against evil are all the same thing.
Thomas Becket, when those four knights with weapons drawn approached him in his Cathedral said, “I am ready to die for God. I am ready to die for the defense of justice. I am ready to die for the freedom of the Church. Would only that my lifeblood might purchase Her peace and freedom”.
Where did he get that courage and readiness? He loved Christ more than anything. May we do the same. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.
That the joyful celebration of our Savior’s birth may bring renewed conviction for Christ’s truth to the Pope, all bishops, clergy, and lay faithful.
That our President and all leaders of nations may protect and promote religious liberty for all.
For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.
For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord
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