Que Viva Cristo Rey!

 

Tertullian said once that, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church,” and as we celebrate the memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro, I am reminded of this phrase that is full of truth. From the beginning of the early Church till today, we have seen many persecutions in the life of the Church. For example, Nero persecuting the early Christians and putting them on fire to light up the streets of Rome. The persecutions in Vietnam, China, Korea, that killed many and led others to fly from their countries. The current persecution in the USA that led to the closing of Churches under the pretext of a pandemic, while many stores, malls, concert halls, etc. remained open. Persecution is nothing new in the life of the Church and will continue to exist till the end of times. Persecution exists simply because The Gospel is a treat to the political systems in place, and when the people are willing to fight for their faith, the persecutors become threaten and must do anything to destroy the threat even if it means killing.  

One persecution that hits close to home was the persecution of Christians in the 1920s by the president of Mexico. At the time, it was pretty much illegal to practice the Catholic faith. Churches were closed, the sacraments could not be celebrated, the clergy and religious couldn’t even wear their clerical attire. However, the people did not remain silent. The Christian faithful got up and stood up to a tyrannical way of life. Many shed their blood to defend their faith, while others continue to spread the mission of the Church in hiding. Fr. Miguel pro was man who despite the danger of getting caught, continued administering the sacraments. Right before he was executed, he screamed out loud, “Que Viva Cristo Rey,” knowing that Christ was his only Master.

Today, as we celebrated the memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro, we are called to be like him and spread the Gospel. Perhaps we are not called to the heroic virtue of shedding our blood, but we are called to do even what it seems so little. When the world destroys, we rebuild; when the world closes, we open; when the world hates, we love; when the world creates division, we unite; when the world screams, we listen; when the world kills, we give life. Let us, then, continue to imitate those martyrs who have gone before us because “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”