WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:07.440 Today the church celebrates a memorial of the Ugandan martyrs led by Saint Charles Lawanga. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.560 And if there was ever a feast made for our times, it is this. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:16.160 Charles Langa and his companions were young men. 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:19.519 Most were teenagers or in their early twenties. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:34.560 They served in the royal court of Uganda in the late nineteenth century, and when the Kin King began demanding immoral acts from them and persecuting Christians, they were given a choice compromise or die. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.799 Many of them had been baptized only months earlier. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:40.159 Think about that. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:45.280 Some Catholics today cannot make it through a difficult conversation about their faith. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.240 These young men walked into the flames. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:56.399 On june third, eighteen eighty six, Charles Owanga and many of his companions were burned alive rather than deny Christ. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:00.399 And what is remarkable is that they did not die angry. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:04.799 They died praying, they died singing, they died forgiving. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:06.799 How is that possible? 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.680 Well, the answer is found in the first reading. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:18.560 Saint Paul tells Timothy, God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of power and love and self-control. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:28.000 That verse is one of the most important verses in the entire New Testament because fear is one of Satan's favorite weapons. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:31.359 Fear keeps people from speaking the truth. 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:34.319 Fear keeps people from defending the faith. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.319 Fear keeps people from making difficult moral decisions. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:42.959 Fear keeps people from following Christ completely. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.079 And Paul says something astonishing. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.239 Fear does not come from God. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.359 The Holy Spirit produces power. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:53.120 The Holy Spirit produces love. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:54.879 The Holy Spirit produces courage. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:57.680 The Holy Spirit produces self-control. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:00.799 And the martyrs understood that. 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:05.840 Charles Longa did not wake up one morning and suddenly become courageous. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.560 No, courage is built through fidelity. 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:13.759 Day after day, prayer after prayer, choices after choices. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.919 The same is true for us. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:23.919 Most of us will never face execution for our faith, but every one of us face opportunities to compromise. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:25.680 Every single day. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:28.719 The business leader tempted to be dishonest. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.000 Cut through here, cut corners over here, no one's gonna notice. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:34.639 The student afraid of defending the church teaching. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:40.960 Well let me just get along and or the husband tempted by infidelity. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:48.879 Oh it's just a little flirting here, a little time here, or a little no, the young people pressured by friends. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:55.280 The Catholic who remains silent because he fears being labeled intolerant. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.360 Martyrdom begins long before blood is shed. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:03.039 It begins with the daily decision to belong to Christ. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:05.199 Then we come to the gospel. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:11.439 The Sadducees approach Jesus with what they think is an impossible question about the resurrection. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:19.199 But notice Jesus' response You are greatly misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:21.360 It's an incredible statement. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:29.120 They knew the arguments, they knew the debates, they knew the technicalities, but they did not know the power of God. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:32.080 And that is still a danger today. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:38.960 Sometimes people reduce Christianity to philosophy, ethics, politics, or even social commentary. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:42.639 Christianity is not primarily an idea. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:47.360 It is the announcement that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:53.759 Sadducees could not believe in the resurrection because they underestimate what God could do. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:56.479 And we often do the same. 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:01.199 We believe God can create galaxies but not heal a marriage. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.840 We believe God can raise Lazarus but not convert our children. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:10.639 We believe God can feed five thousand but not provide for our needs. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:15.599 We believe God can conquer death but not transform our hearts. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:30.000 Jesus reminds us today that our God is a god of the living, the god of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, the God of Charles Lawanga, and the God of the martyrs, the God who raised Jesus from the dead. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.399 And that changes everything. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.160 Because if Christ truly rose from the dead, then no sacrifice made for him is ever wasted. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:44.160 Not one prayer, not a tear, not a struggle, not a cross, not even death itself. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:51.199 That's why Saint Paul can say, I am not ashamed, for I know him in whom I have believed. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:54.639 Notice he does not say, I know what I have believed. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.480 No, he says, I know whom I have believed. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:03.199 Christianity is ultimately not trust in an idea. 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:07.199 It is trust in a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:09.519 And Charles Lewonga knew him. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:17.839 He knew him so well that when the flames came he chose Christ over comfort, Christ over safety, Christ over life itself. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:27.680 The martyrs challenge us today with a very simple question If Christianity became costly tomorrow, would I still be Christian? 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:29.439 Would I still speak the truth? 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:30.800 Would I defend the faith? 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:33.199 Would I still belong to Christ? 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:38.560 Because the same Holy Spirit that strengthened Charles Luanga lives inside of you. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:43.199 The same spirit that gave courage to the martyrs has been given to you. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.839 And that spirit has not given us a spirit of cowardice. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:52.079 He has given us a spirit of power, of love and self control. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.279 And that is enough to make us saints. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:56.240 Amen.