White and Red

Today, May 21st , is the Memorial in the Catholic Church for Saint Christopher Magallanes who was martyred along with 21 diocesan priests and 3 devout laymen.  They were all members of the Cristeros Movement under the suppression of the anti-Catholic Mexican government.
The priest at daily mass today chose the Optional Memorial to honor Saint Christopher and the other men whose lives were taken for their faith.  He spoke about in his homily, Red Martyrdom and White Martyrdom.  I don't really think I have ever been familiar with the phrase of the White Martyrdom before.  He said the red martyrdom is the easy one, you are killed and it is over.  The white martyrdom is the hard one because you have to die to self.  You have to trim the branches of yourself as a tree so that it can get more sun and grow.  Everyday you need to trim yourself : trim your tongue when you speak ill of others, trim your words when they are judgmental, trim your selfishness when you don't want to do something for someone else because it is inconvenient.  When you continue to trim you die to yourselves for Christ and with this comes suffering, this is an ongoing martyrdom.
I thank God for priests who speak with such beauty and truth.  This speaks to all of us who are in the struggle to live in the world but not of the world. May all who are sons and daughters of the church wear the "glow" of White Martyrdom.
Saint Christopher Magallanes and his companions, Pray for Us. Vivo Christo Rey!

I find it interesting these days, that there are quite a number of people who don't genuflect upon entering the church or before they go into the pew.  I imagine it is a result of poor catechesis, but I would hope the adults would have picked up on it by now.  That is why it is so important that those of us who were taught the reverence of the Presence of Christ in the Tabernacle by genuflecting continue and maybe teach those who don't really know.  I think those that went before us proclaiming Christ would find it a little difficult to understand why people find it so difficult to reverence the Lord and adhere to the teachings of His Bride, Our Holy Mother Church.
The following I think had no problem with any of this:
262 martyrs: Feastday March 25, a second group of 262 martyrs are buried on the Via Salaria, their Feastday: June 17th. 47 Martyrs baptized by St. Peter. They also suffered under Nero:Feastday March 14th. 3 soldiers that converted after witnessing St. Paul's martyrdom were condemned and executed. Feastday July 2. A group baptized by Pope St. Alexander I were taken to Ostia and put on a ship and sent out to sea and then deliberately sunk. Nine Hundred martyrs buried in the catacombs of Callistus on the Appian Way:Feastday March 4th. Many Martyrs who suffered because they refused to surrender the Scriptures to the Roman authorities. Feastday:January 2nd.  The list continues until today.  So in the rememberance of those who have given their lives and those today who are giving their lives for their faith, could we at least genuflect in front of Our Lord and Our God?

A Scape Goat or Sacrificial Lamb

A Dominican Sister recently gave a talk in N.C. About the truth of the Theology of the Body according to Blessed John Paul the II and substantial facts on family, homosexuality, single motherhood and the effects these have on Individuals backed up by factual studies.

This was in a Catholic school. There were many who became upset and left because of what they heard, instead of listening with the heart of Christ.

I saw an interesting observation that  - when evil is not paid attention to it claims intolerance - this is what this is. An evil agenda being pushed onto many and trying to block out the light.

Pray for Sister and those who have the courage to support her and stand for the beauty of the teachings of the church and not quotes by the Pope that are misinterpreted for one's own purpose.

The Pope's remarks are not against any teaching but what he speaks is in the heart of the church. This why we have the Catechism for those who need clarification. It is not hidden away in the dark, it is in the light for all to see. These are the coming days of the new martyrs.

Saint Cecilia

Spoke the Love of Faith in Jesus for 3 days after her throat was cut. This is how she laid and died.

Saint Peter Pray for Us

Last week I had by chance come across the movie, St. Peter, with Omar Sharif on EWTN.  Even if  I do think he was too old to play Peter in his younger years with Jesus Christ, he did convey an emotional reality that exposed the pains and heartache that he must have gone through.  At the end of the movie Peter is being crucified, even though I knew the story it had quite a new impact.  He asked to be placed upside down because he was not worthy to be crucified as Jesus was. 
Again, I thought Saint Peter, who was so filled with remorse for denying Jesus, then became Jesus' Vicar on earth because of the mercy given to him went to his death to be crucified again like Jesus,  Even to death he took his faith and love of Christ. 
I look around and see many good people, but is good enough? I don't think St. Peter wasn't crucified so that we as Catholics can just be good. An atheist could be good.  I look around and see faithful people, faithful to the teachings of the magisterium which all flowed from the teachings of Jesus, yes that is enough... to follow His church and His word and put it into our lives with action and witness. That is what Peter was crucified for. A witness to our faith.
Would we give our lives? The time may come when we will have to make that decision as it is happening in other countries with the persecution of Christians. It is beginning here also.
We are everyday in a way by constantly being the light for the world and being made to feel we are bigoted or prejudice which is only  the first step. 
We need to trust in Jesus, PRAY and realize we need to evangelize the beauty of the teachings of Our Holy Mother Church, let's go save some souls! St. Peter, pray for us!

Living Martyrs

Today, we have living martyrs as well.  Many of them are and have been priests that have been unjustly accused of crimes and are truly innocent but are given up as a sacrifice by the church itself or even those who are acquainted with them.  Yet, they still are good and faithful servants even though they have been shunned, such as Jesus was.  These are the martyrs we can pray for in our time, they are walking, living, breathing martyrs.  Let us always pray for our priests that we, as well as them, have courage to speak the truth of our faith in boldness with love and in confidence that  the Blessed Mother protects us all.

The Very First Martyrs Everyday

Who are the martyrs of everyday? The Holy Innocents, just like the innocents were murdered by Herod, precious life is murdered in the womb by the Herods of today. These children are truly the first martyrs, who never even had a chance to be born. They are still trying to kill Christ along with His Church. Pray for them and the mothers. May The Holy Father's words convert their hearts.....along with our prayers...