Back in 2008, when I was going through R.C.I.A. (which is now known as O.C.I.A.), I read the book - “Lives of the Saints” - while I was discerning which of the saints would be my patron saint for Confirmation. I am Vietnamese so Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc was certainly an option for me but the Holy Spirit guided me to Saint Andrew the Apostle who brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus. I desired to be a “fisher of men” and lead others to our Lord Jesus Christ. Both Andrews were martyred for their witnesses to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the King of kings and the Lord of lords and his resurrection.
The Catechism states that “[martyrdom] is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose. . . He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude” (CCC 2473). An ancient homily from Ireland. . . gives a. . . summary of the three types of martyrdom: “. . .white, green and red martyrdom. White martyrdom consists in a man’s abandoning everything he loves for God’s sake, though he suffer fasting or labor. . . Green martyrdom consists in this, that by means of fasting and labor he frees himself from his evil desires, or suffers toil in penance and repentance.”
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs, who all suffered red martyrdom because they shedded blood for love of Jesus. “Andrew Dung-Lac, a Catholic convert ordained to the priesthood, was one of 117 people martyred in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862. . . [when severe] persecutions were launched at least three times in the 19th century. . . [in which] between 100,000 and 300,000 Catholics were killed or subjected to great hardship. . . In 1832, Emperor Minh-Mang banned all foreign missionaries, and tried to make all Vietnamese deny their faith by trampling on a crucifix. . . The last of the martyrs were 17 laypersons, one of them a 9-year-old, executed in 1862” (Franciscan Media).
My sisters and brothers in Christ, “these three martyrdoms represent different paths to heaven, but all share one thing in common: a heart on fire with the love of God.” Most of us are not called to red or even green martyrdom, however, Jesus calls us to be like the “poor widow,” from today’s Gospel, and put in the “two small coins. . .offered [from our] whole livelihood,” a dying to self, to come and follow him as his disciples. What might this white martyrdom look like for us? Well, for all of us present here at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it is sacrificing sleep to be here this early in the morning out of love for our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives of himself - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - to us in the Eucharist.
Coming to Mass daily is one of the ways that we can express our love of God and his mercy toward us; however, let us not stop there. As we prepare ourselves for the penitential season of Advent, let us reflect on what are some other additional “two small coins” in our lives that we can offer out of love for our Lord and our God - “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) - because He loved us first (1 John 4:19).
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