May 6. The post-confirmation group were studying history of religion.  The catechist led the discussion. “St Stephen is the first Christian martyr, stoned to death for his bravery and conviction about his beliefs.  In today’s world there has been an increase in violence.  Many people are killed because of their religious beliefs, in other parts of the world because of politics that also causes wars, or people are killed over race or ethnicity. A serious problem is family violence, femicide and the number of women killed, often by a partner or a husband. Shockingly in the war in Ukraine there were hundreds of thousands of deaths, civilians, women, children, men as well as soldiers on the Ukrainian and Russian sides. Were they killed defending a country or over an ideology, or just obeying orders? What are the reasons for the wars in Gaza, Myanmar and elsewhere?  What is a true martyr?  Would you really be prepared to die for your beliefs or your country? The 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 is commemorated at this time. It is estimated that more than 70 million people died in that Great War.  

Reflect, share and act. Scripture. Stephen said to the people and the elders and scribes, ‘You stiff-necked people, you always resist the Holy Spirit.” They were enraged and cast him out of the city and stoned him.  Acts 7:51-8:1.  Pope Francis:   Faith means believing in God, believing that he truly loves us, that he is alive and that he is mysteriously capable of intervening, does not abandon us and brings good out of evil by his power and his infinite creativity.  EG278. JUBILEE: The most convincing testimony to hope is provided by the martyrs. Steadfast in their faith in the risen Christ, they renounced life itself here below, rather than betray their Lord. Martyrs, as confessors of the life that knows no end, are present and numerous in every age, and perhaps even more so in our own day. We need to treasure their testimony, in order to confirm our hope and allow it to bear good fruit. Coming as they do from different Christian traditions, they are also seeds of unity, expressions of the ecumenism of blood. I greatly hope that the Jubilee will also include ecumenical celebrations as a way of highlighting the richness of the testimony of these martyrs. Pray. Holy Mary, Queen of martyrs, pray for us