By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at a Mass with members of the Neocatechumenal Way, which he celebrated June 30, 2021 at St. Mary Cathedral in Miami.
Today we celebrate the feast of the first holy martyrs of the Church in Rome – they died about the same time of Peter and Paul as a result of the persecution of Nero. Rome had a terrible fire – hence the expression, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” The story was that he set the fire to clear land in order to enlarge his palace. Well, to deflect blame from himself he accused the Christians – and many were executed – some crucified like St. Peter, others beheaded like St. Paul, and still others burned alive – their bodies being used as torches to light up the night. Those are the martyrs we honor tonight.
This was the first persecution by a Roman emperor, but not the last. After having listened to tonight’s Gospel, we cannot say that Jesus did not warn us. In fact, in the past 2000 years, there probably has never been a time in which the Church was completely at peace and enjoyed total religious freedom. There was always a persecution in some place or another.
Photographer: COURTESY
Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrates Mass June 30, 2021, with members of the Neocatechumenal Way communities from South Florida.
This week the US Catholic Church observes Religious Freedom week. That is because in these days before the Fourth of July and our celebration of American independence, we celebrate the feast days of martyrs such as Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More, Saints Peter and Paul, today’s Roman Martyrs, St. Thomas the Apostle – as well as the birth of John the Baptist, who died a martyr for defending the truth about marriage.
Today, in this country, and in Europe, there is growing hostility against religion in general and the Catholic Church in particular. When we are not viewed with hostility, we are often looked upon with cold indifference. People of faith are being increasingly subjected to a soft despotism in which ridicule, ostracism, and denial of employment opportunities or advancement are being used to marginalize us.
The Cross divides. The Cross divides everyone and everything. It is important that we recognize how different the Jesus of the Gospel is from the image of Christ that prevails in our culture today. Today, the popular image of Jesus is of a Jesus who demands nothing, who never scolds, who accepts everyone and everything – a Jesus who no longer does anything but affirm us. As a great theologian – who was once known as Cardinal Ratzinger – once said, “The Jesus that makes everything okay for everybody is a phantom, a dream, and not a real figure.”
The Jesus of the Gospels, the Jesus that the Catholic Church preaches, is by contrast demanding and bold. If he were really accepting and tolerant of all things and toward all people, do you think he would have ended up murdered on a cross? And, if St. Thomas More just had went along with King Henry VIII, he would have kept his head.
One way or another, discipleship has a cost. To follow Jesus is never easy – because Jesus takes us to the narrow way, not to “easy street.”
During the 20th Century, some 45 million Christians died because of their faith. And the trend continues today. According to researchers, 70 percent of the world’s population lives in countries with high restrictions on religious beliefs and practices. Some 150,000 Christians are killed for the faith every year. So, the Age of Martyrs did not conclude with the Peace of Constantine; it is still with us.
But Jesus says, the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. We all have our fears – we do not want to be persecuted or tortured ... nor do we want to be shamed, ridiculed or rejected by our friends. But we cannot let our fears paralyze us. We have the example of those first responders working 12-hour shifts in Surfside. They walk into danger – crawling through rubble looking for people to save. I am sure they feel fear, but they do not let their fear overwhelm them to keep them from doing their duty.
In a similar way, the martyrs did not let their fear overwhelm them – even though they were arrested, imprisoned, nailed to crosses or tied to torches, they were free, because they loved Christ; they were free because they did not let the fear of suffering and death paralyze them or cause them to turn away from Christ.
This is why we honor them – and why we seek their intercession. As Tertullian said in the second century after Christ, “the blood of martyrs is the seed of faith.”
