On this Thanksgiving
day, we look back to the First Thanksgiving in which we recall a group of
pilgrims that moved from England across the Trans-Atlantic on the Mayflower in
order to seek a better place. When they
landed, with the help of their new neighbors; the Wampanoag Tribe, together,
they gave thanks to Almighty God for their safe journey.
Despite the many
potential dangers of the unknown terrain, they were willing to take the risks,
so that they could have a better livelihood and the freedom to practice their
faith, and to start anew.
Seeking a new
dwelling place is not something foreign for God’s people in the book of
Exodus. While being slaves in Egypt,
they too long for freedom. The one true
God, Yahweh, through Moses, help Israel’s descendants to travel safely across
the desert into the Promised Land.
Despite the trials and tribulations, it was God who provided the food (Manna and Quail) and water from the rock for their journey. The desert wanderings was a blessing in disguise. It was meant to purify them, to root out the things that would hinder them from truly loving God and keeping His commandments and statutes. What kept them going is not only the Promise Land that lay ahead, but the assurance that God will always be their God, and will constantly look after them.
Seeking a dwelling place is not something foreign for many of us who are immigrants. Leaving the homeland in search of a new dwelling place can be burdensome. Those who are forced to leave their homeland, because of a lack in peace know this to be true. I remember growing up and seeing America as my only home; but there were some Vietnamese Immigrants who shared with me that always, in the back of their mind, they knew that someday, they long to return to their homeland.
In the Gospel of John, on the night when Jesus was with the disciples before he died on the cross, notice that there is no mentioning of the Bread and Wine, like the Synoptic Gospels. Instead, Jesus prepared the disciples for the Ascension, His Return HOME to God the Father. After the Washing of the Feet and the prediction that Judas will betray him, it was Simon Peter who wanted to know where exactly Jesus was going. This question about the Ascension comes back time and time again in the Gospel of John. Jesus told the disciples: “Where I am going, you cannot come.” So Simon Peter wanted Jesus to clarify: “Lord, Where do you mean to go?” John 13:36. Jesus responds: “I am going where you cannot follow me now; later on you shall come with me.” So Peter responded: “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” But Jesus knew that Peter’s time was not yet; he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows; but eventually with the gift of the Holy Spirit, Simon Peter will also join Christ in a death like his, before his return to the heavenly home to be with Jesus.
The Saints especially the Martyrs that we honored and celebrated at the beginning of the Month of November are the witnesses for us of the heavenly home that awaits us. It is not so that we may see the world as evil or bad, but they conveyed with their testimony their longing to be with God, and that would bring them the great joy and peace.
Today, on this feast day of St. Andrew Dung Lac and his Companions, who during the 17th -19th century, heroically gave their lives for Christ. It was during the reign of the Emperor Ming Mang that there was heavy persecution. It was because the Emperor wanted to root out Catholicism in Vietnam. Although Blessed Pope John Paul II declared the 117 members to be among the ranks of the saints, there were many more martyrs that were unnamed.
One of the martyrs named Paul Le Bao Tinh wrote a letter to the Seminarians in 1843 with these words.
From
a letter of Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh
sent to students of the Seminary of Ke-Vinh in 1843
The martyrs share in Christ’s victory
The martyrs share in Christ’s victory
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 for ever. 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 for ever.
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.
Our master bears the whole weight of
the cross, leaving me only the tiniest, last bit. He is not a mere onlooker in
my struggle, but a contestant and the victor and champion in the whole battle.
Therefore upon his head is placed the crown of victory, and his members also
share in his glory.
How
am I to bear with the spectacle, as each day I see emperors, mandarins, and
their retinue blaspheming your holy name, O Lord, who are enthroned above the Cherubim and
Seraphim? Behold, the pagans
have trodden your cross underfoot! Where is your glory? As I see all this, I
would, in the ardent love I have for you, prefer to be torn limb from limb and
to die as a witness to your love.
O Lord, show your power, save me,
sustain me, that in my infirmity your power may be shown and may be glorified
before the nations; grant that I may not grow weak along the way, and so allow
your enemies to hold their heads up in pride.
Beloved
brothers, as you hear all these things may you give endless thanks in joy to
God, from whom every good proceeds; bless the Lord with me, for his mercy is for ever. My soul proclaims
the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has
looked with favor on his lowly servant and from this day all
generations will call me blessed, for
his mercy is for ever.
O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples,
for God chose what is weak in the world to confound the strong, God chose what
is low and despised to confound the noble. Through my mouth he
has confused the philosophers who are disciples of the wise of this
world, for his mercy is for ever.
I write these things to you in order
that your faith and mine may be united. In the midst of this storm I cast my
anchor toward the throne of God, the anchor that is the lively home in my
heart.
Beloved
brothers, for your part so run that you may attain the
crown, put on the breastplate
of faith and take up the
weapons of Christ for
the right hand and for the left, as my patron Saint Paul has
taught us. It is better for you to enter
life with one eye or crippled than, with all your members
intact, to be cast away.
Come
to my aid with your prayers, that I may have the strength to fight according to
the law, and indeed to fight
the good fight and to fight until the end and so finish the
race. We may not again see each other in this life, but we will have the
happiness of seeing each other again in the world to come, when, standing at
the throne of the spotless Lamb, we will together join in singing his praises
and exult for ever in the joy of our triumph. Amen.
It
was Tertullian who said: “The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the
Church.” Thanks to their witness and
testimony that we are blessed to have the faith in Jesus, and Holy Mother
Church. Holy Martyrs, pray for us that
we may remain faithful to Christ just as you have been.
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