Posted by stpauls on November 7, 2010 under Bible Readings, Webmaster Blog | 
Luke 6:20-31 ~ Gospel Reading for November 7, 2010
Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
“But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Posted by stpauls on under Contributors, Webmaster Blog |
The image is a photograph of statues erected recently above the West entrance of Westminster Abbey in London, England. Further information is available on these modern-day saints, all martyrs of the 20th century, on Westminster Abbey’s history page.
These modern saints are from left to right:
- Maximilian Kolbe (Poland): a Roman Catholic priest, who hid Jews during the Nazi occupation in Poland. He was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. There he volunteered to die in place of a family man. He died on 14 August 1941.
- Manche Masemola (South Africa): a member of the Pedi tribe of South Africa, who, against the wishes of her parents, enrolled in baptism-preparation classes from English missionaries in 1928. Her parents took her to local shaman, claiming she was bewitched. She was prescribed a tradition “remedy,” which her parents made her consume by beating her. She died shortly after.
- Janani Luwum (Uganda): as Anglican Archbishop, he spoke out against the terror of Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda in the 1970s. After a public call to end the injustice (including arbitrary killings and disappearances), he was arrested with other church leaders and accused of treason. He was murdered on 17 February 1977, possibly by Idi Amin himself.
- Elizabeth (Russia): a German Princess and wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, 5th son of the Czar, who became an Orthodox nun after her husband’s death and devoted her life to God and to the poor. Murdered by Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution, 18 July 1918.
- Martin Luther King (USA): a Baptist pastor, whose deep faith in God moved him to speak out against the sin of racism. He inspired the civil rights’ movement in the U.S. and was shot in Memphis by an assassin, 4 April 1968.
- Óscar Romero (El Salvador): as Roman Catholic Archbishop, he became a persistent advocate for justice and an outspoken critic of Salvadoran junta’s human rights’ violations. He was shot while celebrating mass, 24 March 1980.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Germany): a Lutheran pastor, whose faith led him to be involved in the German resistance movement against the Nazis. A leading theologian with prophetic insights relevant even today, he was hanged at Flossenbürg concentration camp, 9 April 1945, at age 39.
- Esther John (Pakistan): born Qamar Zia, Esther became a Christian after she studied the book of Isaiah, particularly the 53rd chapter. She worked as a nurse and evangelized in villages and teaching women to read and working with them in the cotton fields. Her death was sudden and mysterious. On 2 February 1960 Esther John was found dead in her bed at the house where she lived at Chichawatni. She had been brutally murdered.
- Lucian Tapedi (Papua New Guinea); a Papuan Anglican teacher, who was one of the “New Guinea Martyrs, killed by invading Japanese troops in 1942.” (A total of 333 church workers of all denominations were killed during the invasion).
- Wang Zhiming (China): a Protestant pastor of the Miao people in Yunan province, who was arrested, tortured, and killed on 29 December 1973 during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
