The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Jean de Brebeuf, St Isaac Jogues, priests, martyrs
and their companions, martyrs

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Romans 6:12-18
Psalm 124:1-8
Luke 12:39-48

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The readings for today are so appropriate for this Memorial Feast of St. John de Brebeuf and St. Isaac Jogues and their companions. This writer has the humble priviledge of living in the Mohawk Valley in New York State, near the Shrine of Auriesville. The shrine is on the site of their martyrdom and serves as a memorial to their faith. We feel so blessed to have this shrine so near! We speak of the blood of martyrs which ran through the Valley via the Mohawk River.

These priests and their companions lived the words of this scripture, using their bodies to serve God and their fellow men and women, even at the risk and later cost of their lives. After one session of torture the priests had left the site and returned to France. Once they recovered, they realized that their desire to convert the natives was stronger than their fear, so they returned to the site, only to face torture and martyrdom. While some people choose to use their bodies as a weapon of wickedness, these priests and their companions served as witnesses of the sacredness of our bodies!

"Blood of the North American Martyrs, wash us."

Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)