Bishop-Martyr Nykolai (Nicholas) Charnetsky and the Twenty-Seven Other New Blesseds of the Church of Rus’-Ukraine Beatified in 2001; Our Venerable Father Samson, Host of Strangers (527-65)
Rank: Polyeleos. Day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Apostles’ Fast.
Read
Ephesians 6:10-17; Luke 21:12-19
Today is the feast day of the new martyrs of Ukraine, and while today’s gospel is just a few verses, it relates to martyrdom very well. Jesus taught that a disciple is not above his master, and those words found painfully true expression for the martyrs who suffered and died like their master, Jesus. But this isn’t just bad news (“they got me, and in the end, they’ll get you too!”). Jesus’ constant words of comfort are “Have no fear of them!” Christians who suffer for their faith are confident that God is still in control. To begin with, people who know they have an immortal soul and will come before an immortal judge are less inclined to be afraid of death than materialists (whether Communists, Nazis, or modern ideologues) who can’t see any reality beyond this life. But more than this, Christians know that they’re heavenly Father loves them, and will care for them as he cared for Christ, even if it appears to the world that they are abandoned. We are of great value to our Father, so when Christians join their sufferings and death to Christ’s suffering and death, we know that we will be raised with Christ, and will enjoy eternal life and the love of God with Christ. That was what motivated the new martyrs to oppose evil regimes and denial of the truth even to the shedding of their blood: may the same faith motivate us today.