In the context of the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus prayed with great intensity for his followers, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father, keep these you have given me to be true to your name, so that they may be one like us.”

Jesus begs his Father to give to those who would follow him an abundance of grace that they might be faithful. All but one of his disciples, John, would be martyred in fidelity to Jesus. St. Paul and at least the first five popes met the same faith. The Roman Empire tried to wipe out these followers, but as fast as they killed them, the more they multiplied.

An oft-repeated phrase, attributed to the second-century theologian Tertullian, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church,” describes the growth of the Church throughout its centuries. As believers moved beyond the confines of the early Church, these missionaries, who spoke boldly and proclaimed the message of Jesus, were often met with great opposition. They were often tortured and killed, but it was their bravery, their courage, their conviction that they were dying for their Lord and Savior that inspired others to follow them.

A casual review of the Roman Calendar demonstrates how true this is. There are the feasts for the martyrs of Vietnam, China, Uganda, Spain, Algeria, Korea, Canada, England, and El Salvador. On every continent, in every country where followers of Jesus were persecuted, the faithful grew exponentially.

Jesus’s prayer to the Father, “keep these you have given me to be true to your name,” continues to echo and inspire those who follow Jesus.

Fed and empowered by the Eucharist, may our witness of faith doing justice inspire continuous and faithful growth in our Church.

Let Us Pray:

Jesus, you prayed to your Father that your followers would be filled with an abundance of grace to remain faithful to you and your mission. May we, too, inspire all we encounter with a desire for peace, love, reconciliation, mercy, and justice. Amen.