November 24: Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and his Companions, Martyrs—Memorial

Read entire reflection online >>>November 24: Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and his Companions, Martyrs—MemorialSeventeenth–Nineteenth CenturiesPatron Saints of VietnamCanonized by Pope John Paul II June 19, 1988Liturgical Color: RedQuote: I, Paul, in chains for the name of Christ, wish to relate to you the trials besetting me daily, in order that you may be inflamed with love for God and join with me in his praises, for his mercy is forever. The prison here is a true image of everlasting hell: to cruel tortures of every kind—shackles, iron chains, manacles—are added hatred, vengeance, calumnies, obscene speech, quarrels, evil acts, swearing, curses, as well as anguish and grief. But the God who once freed the three children from the fiery furnace is with me always; he has delivered me from these tribulations and made them sweet, for his mercy is forever. In the midst of these torments, which usually terrify others, I am, by the grace of God, full of joy and gladness, because I am not alone—Christ is with me. ~From a letter of Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh sent to students of the Seminary of Ke-Vinh in 1843Prayer:Saints Andrew Dung-Lac, Paul Le-Bao-Tinh, Peter Thi, Agnese Le Thi Thành, Jean-Théophane Vénard, and all Vietnamese martyrs, known and unknown, I thank you for your witness of love, for your fidelity to Christ in the face of such brutal tortures, and for the gift of your prayers from Heaven. Please pray for me, and especially for the Church in Vietnam, that we will all be faithful to Christ unto death, never counting the cost, but giving all in imitation of you. Martyrs of Vietnam, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: mycatholic.lifeCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Images from Lawrence OP, Flickr: Main