Moved to Drops of Blood

Often we hear of someone being "moved to tears" when they experience something emotional.  But, have you ever heard of someone being moved to drops of blood?  Jesus sweated drops of blood when He prayed in the garden.  The martyrs of the Church were so moved by the love of God that they were willing to have their blood shed.  Are we so moved by our God to drops of blood?

The Chinese martyr saints - St. Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 of his companions were canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in October 2000.  They showed genuine faith and unwavering courage even to the point of death.  They rather die - joyfully - than to apostatize, denying that the God whom they have fallen in love with existed.  They were able to make this courageous act because they were consumed by love.  They were in love with Love its very self.  This love enabled them to see that the life they were living then was only a means to get to the life that never ends.  This love enabled them to love, even their enemies and executioners.  This love moved them to be indifferent to whether they lived or died.  This loved moved them to drops of blood.

The native Chinese soldier Augustine Zhao Rong was so moved by the faith of the bishop whom he was accompanying to his execution that he asked to be baptized and was later ordained the first native Chinese diocesan priest.  Some of his fellow martyr saints were singing songs and praising God as they walked to their death.  One little girl exclaimed "Jesus!  Jesus!  Jesus!" as she was being executed.  They saw their trials, persecutions, suffering, and death as a blessing because they enabled them to see the Lord face to face.  When we face trials and difficulties do we see them as curses and painful situations and ruminate over them helplessly or do we welcome them and rejoice because we can see that those moments are actually moments of profound grace and unceasing blessings?

Father, teach me to embrace the trials and difficulties of my life for they are blessings and moments of graces in disguise.  Give to me the faith and courage of the martyrs, and teach me to want to desire to be consumed by Your love so that like the martyrs, I too may be moved to drops of blood.  

 St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, Pray for us!
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part I

Selections from Part I of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Younger son (YS) – “give me” mentality, I deserve my inheritance, it belongs to me – I take; “The son is as impatient as the father was kind” (Peter Chrysologus).   (Grasping and grabbing)   Really saying to the Father:  “I wish you were dead.”  It is usually only when someone dies that we receive inheritance. Imagine what takes place during those few days before the son leaves.   When the son leaves and sets off to a distant country, he is not only leaving home, but he is leaving himself.   He wishes to leave his identity behind.   He wants to be his own person.   How often are we tempted by this?   “Be somebody” the world tells us.   Somebody powerful, rich, and famous.   Be somebody.   We are already somebody.   We are God’s beloved.   Each one of us.   We are loved by the Father from all eternity.   “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”   Apart from his father, he has no identity.   By leavin
Read more

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part II

Selections from Part II of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Part II: The Encounter – Reconciliation and Communion “His father caught sight of him.”   What was the father doing all this time?   When the son petitioned to leave, the Father did not plead and cling on to the son.   He lets him go, not because he did not love him.   But because the Father loved him.   In loving him, the Father allowed the son to act in freedom and exercise his free will.   The father said, “Okay, here is your share.   If you want to, you can go.   I will not stop you. The world is not pretty.   It can only offer you temporary comfort and happiness.   You can go, but know that when you go, you will experience pain and suffering.   You will experience a profound sense of loss and lacking.   You will be hurt.   You will be rejected.   But you can go.   Go, but know that this will always be your home.   You may already have your share of the inheritance that should come to you when I die
Read more

People of One Heart and Mind

The portrait painted about the early Church by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles was one that expressed unity and communion.  We are told that "the community of believers was of one heart and mind" (Acts 4:32).  Then we are given a description of how they had put that "one heart and mind" into action - by sharing their time, talent, and treasure.  They were able to do so because they had one mission and were One in the Father. Are we a people of one heart and one mind?  This means do we have God in our hearts?  Do we root our identity and all that we do in the Father and His love?  Then we must ask do we see our mission as one.  The mission Jesus gave to His disciples was to proclaim the Good News to all nations and creatures.  This Good News is the Resurrection.  This Good News is the hope of eternal life.  This Good News is the ransom paid for our freedom from slavery to sin.  This Good News is the love of the Father.  To carry out this mission in proclaimi
Read more

When Jesus Descended into Hell

Image
"Cercate il Suo Volto" is Italian for "Seek His Face" (see Ps. 27:8). I first heard of the Italian phrase from the "Abba Pater" album by Pope John Paul II.  It was the first track of the album.  My high school Junior Theology teacher had introduced me to it and gave me a copy of it.  I am very grateful to him because it opened up for me a more in-depth interest, studying of, and reading of the Scriptures.  And, of course listening to the Pope recite it with inspiring and motivational music in the background made it all the better (not that the Word itself isn't good enough, but you know what I mean!).  Anyways, so why am I bringing this verse from Psalm 27 up?  "Seek His Face." On Holy Thursday we read in the Gospel that Jesus gave the Apostles an example of humble service and true leadership.  To serve is to lead, with love at its core.  On Good Friday we read the Passion Narrative where we hear Our Lord cry in fulfillment of the prophec
Read more

Giving What We Have

Image
Maybe sometimes we feel that we do not have much to give.  And so we do not give at all.   Peter and John knew that they themselves did not have much and could not give to the lame man what he was asking for, but they did know they had something else to give: the gift of faith.  In fact what they had to give was much more important and impactful than silver or gold.  What they had to offer seemed useless and impractical to the world - words? faith? "How can that fill my stomach?"  "How can that change my situation right now?" The lame man in the reading today (Acts 3:1-10) begged for alms, looked at Peter and John, and expected to receive something from them.  The Apostles said to him, " Look at us ," and Peter said " I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you ." We are told that the man expected to receive something from them - perhaps what he has been begging for: money.  I can just imagine this man sitting by the gate day
Read more