Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Mm (03rd June, 2020) on the
Gospel and the Memorial
2Tim 1:1-3.6-12;
Ps 122:1-2. (R. v. 1);
Mk 12:18-27.
King Mutesa of Uganda
peacefully received the White Fathers in 1879. Before long a number of the
young pages in the king’s court had become Catholics. However, on the death of
Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually engaged in pedophilic
practices with the younger pages, took the throne. When he murdered a visiting
Anglican Bishop, his chief page, Joseph Mukasa, a Catholic who went to great
length to protect the younger boys from the king’s lust, denounced the king’s
actions and was beheaded on November 15, 1885. The 25 year old Charles Lwanga,
a man wholly dedicated to the Christian instruction of the younger boys, became
the chief page, and just as forcibly protected them from the king’s advances.
On the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, realizing that their own lives
were in danger, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to
receive baptism. Another 100 catechumens were baptized in the week following
Joseph Mukasa’s death. The following May, King Mwanga learned that one of the
boys was learning catechism. He was furious and ordered all the pages to be
questioned to separate the Christians from the others. The Christians, 15 in all, between the ages
of 13 and 25, stepped forward. They were bound together and taken on a two day
walk to Namugongo where they were to be burned at the stake. However, on the way, Matthias Kalemba, one of
the eldest boys, exclaimed, “God will rescue me. But you will not see how he
does it, because he will take my soul and leave you only my body.” The executioners cut him to pieces and left
him to die alone on the road. On June 3, 1886, the Feast of the Ascension,
Charles Lwanga was separated from the others and burned at the stake. Just
before the flames reached his heart, he looked up and said in a loud voice, “Katonda!
– My God!,” and died. His companions were all burned together the same day all
the while praying and singing hymns until they died. There were 22 protomartyrs
in all and the last, a young man named John Mary, was beheaded by King Mwanga
on January 27, 1887. These martyrs died between November 15, 1885 – January 27,
1887. They were beatified in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964. St.
Charles Lwanga is the patron saint of African Catholic Youth Action.[1]
Topic: After this world.
The Sadducees came to Jesus in today’s gospel and asked whose
wife a woman who married seven brothers according to the Law of Moses would be
in the resurrection, cf. Deut 25:5-10.
Jesus said to them,
Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither
the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they
neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
God lamented that His children are dying for want of
knowledge, cf. Hos 4:6. This knowledge
must be properly understood as that of God which helps us live lives worthy of Him,
cf. Col 1:9-10. This is because “the
wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1Cor
3:19a). No one should allow his/her mind to be blinded by the god of this
world to prevent him/her from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, cf. 2Cor 4:4. This world is
passing away, cf. 1Cor 7:31.
Bible Reading: 1Cor 3:1-19.
Thought for today: You are a child of resurrection.
Let us pray: May God help us to know Christ and
the power of His resurrection – Amen (Phil
3:10).
Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions –
Pray for us.
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