The Mass that formed a martyr

Not many have heard of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer, who was martyred for his faith in 1943.  He joined a large cohort of saints who would not sacrifice their conscience and their faith to something or someone else. He refused to take an oath to Adolf Hitler. To do contradicted his faith. He paid the price at the guillotine on 9 August1943. In the Vatican biography of his life (here) it recounts that he stated shortly before his execution:

But I cannot believe that, just because one has a wife and children, a man is free to offend God.

This line very much echoes the witness of St Thomas More who was executed four centuries before.  Throughout the twentieth century many Catholics, including some church leaders, regarded certain right-wing movements and governments as a lesser danger than communism. This sometimes led to accommodation, misjudgement or silence in the face of terrible injustice and atrocities.

Courage

12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

21 June 2026

Lectio Divina:

Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69

Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33

Meditatio:

‘..Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matthew 10:28)

Commentary:

This Sunday’s readings provide a rich set of resources.  I find them particularly apt for several reasons related to timing as well as the recent political context.  Let me ‘proclaim from the house-tops’ what I have heard in whispers. Let me ‘proclaim from the housetops’ what I have heard in whispers: today is The Day for Life. And, it is Father’s Day at least in this part of the world. One sentence in the statement on the Day for Life caught my attention in particular:

This understanding, however, is not complete without the recognition that, from the beginning, every human being is not just a body but also an immortal soul, with a unique and eternal connection with God, our Creator.

St Patrick helped bring the Eucharist to Ireland

What would Saint Patrick make of St Patrick’s Day in Ireland in 2026?  One thing is sure – faith in the living Christ is his message to us today. Although we do not find explicit references to the Eucharist in the two writings associated with his name – the Confessio and the Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus – we can be sure that Patrick brought with him the Christian faith and the associated practices, understanding and established norms of the land from which he came.