And Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs
And Saint Pancras, Martyr
Biographical Information about Saint Nereus and Saint Achilleus, Martyrs[1]
Biographical Information about Saint Pancras, Martyr[2]
Readings for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter[3]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 16:1-10
Paul finds Timothy, in this passage from Acts, that he later writes his great descriptions on the infrastructure of the Church. Together, they travel throughout the region and, as the reading says; “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.” Paul had Timothy circumcised so he could minister to the Jews as well as the Greeks in their travels. Paul himself held fast to Jewish Law. God calls them onward.
And Saint Pancras, Martyr
Biographical Information about Saint Nereus and Saint Achilleus, Martyrs[1]
Biographical Information about Saint Pancras, Martyr[2]
Readings for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter[3]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 16:1-10
Paul finds Timothy, in this passage from Acts, that he later writes his great descriptions on the infrastructure of the Church. Together, they travel throughout the region and, as the reading says; “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.” Paul had Timothy circumcised so he could minister to the Jews as well as the Greeks in their travels. Paul himself held fast to Jewish Law. God calls them onward.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Psalm 100 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. It is also the alternate invitatory psalm offered by the faithful in the Liturgy of the Hours as appropriate to begin the day’s prayer of the Church.
Gospel Jn 15:18-21
Jesus gives the disciples a paradox in telling them that while they are part of the world (meaning here, secular society) they are separated from that society through their association with Christ. He then reminds them that because they are his, they too will suffer persecution by those he and they come to save.
Reflection:
Today we ask ourselves “Why do we put ourselves in harms way by being Christian in a world that does not like or want His word?” We know this was true from the start. Jesus tells his disciples so in the Gospel today. We memorialize three saints, Pancras, Nereus and Achilleus, all of whom were martyred. The blood of the followers of Christ has flowed into the earth since St. Stephen first received stones from the men in Jerusalem who threw them with Saul’s (St. Paul’s) approval. (Could there be any doubt that Paul knew the kind of animosity he would face in carrying the word to others?)
We look at the Apostles and the Martyrs (remembering that all but one of the Apostles were martyred as well) and ask why did they do it? We see the confusion over that issue from others from the time Pilate questioned the Lord. He could not understand why Jesus would accept his fate and he could not understand why the Jews would want Barabbas instead either.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Psalm 100 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. It is also the alternate invitatory psalm offered by the faithful in the Liturgy of the Hours as appropriate to begin the day’s prayer of the Church.
Gospel Jn 15:18-21
Jesus gives the disciples a paradox in telling them that while they are part of the world (meaning here, secular society) they are separated from that society through their association with Christ. He then reminds them that because they are his, they too will suffer persecution by those he and they come to save.
Reflection:
Today we ask ourselves “Why do we put ourselves in harms way by being Christian in a world that does not like or want His word?” We know this was true from the start. Jesus tells his disciples so in the Gospel today. We memorialize three saints, Pancras, Nereus and Achilleus, all of whom were martyred. The blood of the followers of Christ has flowed into the earth since St. Stephen first received stones from the men in Jerusalem who threw them with Saul’s (St. Paul’s) approval. (Could there be any doubt that Paul knew the kind of animosity he would face in carrying the word to others?)
We look at the Apostles and the Martyrs (remembering that all but one of the Apostles were martyred as well) and ask why did they do it? We see the confusion over that issue from others from the time Pilate questioned the Lord. He could not understand why Jesus would accept his fate and he could not understand why the Jews would want Barabbas instead either.
No secular human motive applies. Being Christian is not for fame, we do not achieve acclaim for our belief (except possibly the Pope and when he is elected he goes immediately to the “Room of Tears”). It is not for wealth. On the contrary, the most devout of our faith, the vowed religious, take vows of poverty. It does not bring us physical comfort, again quite the contrary if we give up our own comfort for the poor and marginalized.
Why then follow Christ? It is a question each of us must answer and a voice each of us must hear. For me, the best I can do is paraphrase St. Peter; because I have come to believe that Christ alone has the words of eternal life.
Pax
Why then follow Christ? It is a question each of us must answer and a voice each of us must hear. For me, the best I can do is paraphrase St. Peter; because I have come to believe that Christ alone has the words of eternal life.
Pax
[1] The first image used today is “Saint Domitilla, with Saints Nereus and Achilleus”, by Pomarancio, 1598-99
[2] The second image is “Virgin on throne between Saint Pancras and Saint Monaca” by Guercino, 1615
[3] After Links Expire
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