In a letter to the community he founded at the bustling Greek seaport of Thessalonica, Paul writes: You know that the Day of the Lord will certainly come like a thief in the night. People will say “peace and security,” but suddenly, disaster will come. And the people will not escape.
The members of that community had converted to the Way of Jesus from pagan religions. They put aside all the other messages they heard in the world, choosing to follow Jesus. Paul had to leave that community abruptly, but he was still concerned for their welfare. His letter encouraged them and advised in the midst of persecution. Paul told them that the Lord’s Second Coming would come at an unexpected and unannounced time, so they needed to be ready.
Even though Paul wrote those words in the middle of the first century, they still speak to us today. Back on November 16, 1989, eight Catholics were killed for their faith in the Central American country of El Salvador. Since the early days of the Church, martyrs have had a special place in the community of saints. As we honor and remember these martyrs from El Salvador, we might wonder: How do their lives and stories affect us here in Mississippi? These killings took place at the height of El Salvador's civil war. That country’s military forces were ordered to kill Jesuit Father Ignacio Ellacuría, the rector of the University of Central America, and to leave no witnesses. They killed him along with five other priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter who were all present at the residence on that day.
The military forces wanted to kill this Catholic priest and leave no witnesses out of fear of the message that he proclaimed, a message that reached out in love and faith to a country torn apart by civil war. That message cut to the heart of the poverty and the oppression that afflicted the majority of the population there. Father Ellacuría asked where the justice was in their country, who the military attacked the poor and the marginalized of their own country. These Jesuit priests asked those questions, making those in power very nervous. As a result, action was taken to destroy these priests and the Gospel message they brought to the world. That is why it is important for us to remember how they died for the faith.
It is without a doubt an inspiring story, but what is the connection to us? We think of all the justice issues we are grappling with as a society. Many of the big cities of our country have seen an increase in violence and crime. Our own city of Jackson has a crime level and a broken apart water system and road system that should not exist here in the United States. We can respond to our reality and the reality of our neighbors out of fear and anger. Our we can respond as children of the light, as Paul calls the Thessalonians. These issues that face our local community, our country, and our world are very complicated, but burying our heads in the sand and not taking action is not what our faith calls us to do.
The Jesuits have said that the lives and the loss of these martyrs in El Salvador have influenced the Jesuit community in the United States and throughout the world, calling them to think about what it means to be disciples of Christ, what it means to be a Catholic community. It calls us to think about what it means to address issues of social justice in our Church. As I think of how Paul challenged the Thessalonians to be ready for the second coming of Jesus, I think of how death came to the Jesuit martyrs violently and suddenly like a thief in the night. Yet, by their work, their lives, and their witness, they were prepared for the eternal life to come. What about us?
Last week, the story of the ten maidens waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom was about constant readiness for the final coming of Christ, as the five wise maidens were prepared and ready to keep their lamps lit, but the five foolish maidens made no such plans or provisions to be ready. Our parable today tells us about the master who leaves his property with his servants to administer while he is away. Two manage his property prudently and wisely. One does not.
I think of how we ended our time with the pandemic and so much of our world had changed. Even the reality of our Catholic Church and our parishes has changed. This past summer I visited five different parishes for mission appeals, and as I told our story about our mission Diocese of Jackson, I heard a lot of stories about their reality from the priests and the laity. We here in our parishes are trying to boost our programs of religious education, our outreach in works of charity and mercy, and our evangelization within our parish and beyond. None of us can take our faith for granted. We all need to do our part in brining new life to our parish, of helping our parish grow and flourish, in helping each one of us on our journey of faith, both as individuals and as a community.
Just as Paul encouraged his communities, we need to hear this same message of encouragement in the midst of our reality: to continue to live out our faith with joy and conviction. To be ready. And to always be prepared.
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