Blessed are the Persecuted
By Fr. Grant Schwartz June begins with a commemoration of Christian martyrs. In the Calendar of the Book of Alternative Services, four of the first five days of June are devoted to giving thanks for martyred Christians. This year, the one day that does not remember a martyr celebrates the Holy Trinity. The schedule goes like this:Thursday June 1 – Justin the Christian Teacher, martyred 167 A.D.Friday June 2 – Bishop Pothinus and others including Blandina, a young girl, martyred at Lyons, 177 A.D.Saturday June 3 – The Young Men and Boys of Uganda, martyred, 1886 A.D.Sunday June 4 – THE FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY TRINITYMonday June 5 – Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, martyred 754 A.D.
The schedule gives us a sample of faithful Christians who embrace the Holy Trinity to the point of accepting martyrdom. Of course, these faithful Christians accept martyrdom because, they believe that in Jesus, God the Holy Trinity has embraced them. Justin (often called Justin Martyr) contributed to our understanding of the Trinity. Justinreferred to Jesus as “Christ being Lord and God the Son of God.” In describing the Eucharist Justin Martyr wrote that the celebrating priest “gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” Each of these martyrs through baptism had become 1) a member of the Body of Christ, 2) the child of God the Father, and 3) the temple of the Holy Spirit. Living in communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, they had the heart to offer their life as a witness to their faith. Let us give thanks for all God’s martyrs today and over the centuries. Let us also pray that we may be inspired with the same courage and faithfulness.
