To Our First Martyrs in Rome
Today is the feast of the first martyrs in Rome. These are the martyrs who suffered death under the emperor Nero after the burning of Rome. Their blood helped build the early Church. On this feast day let us pray for those who are still being martyred in all parts of the world. Here is a video about Christians in Palestine who are heavily persecuted for their faith:
But even we, here in America, face a different kind of persecution. We are very often ridiculed for our deeply held convictions which causes many of the faithful to reject those beliefs altogether. It is not popular to be Catholic in the western world today. We are a target for criticism, hatred and any sort of mockery under the sun. So let us pray to those first martyrs in Rome to obtain for us the strength to face this current persecution with the same grace, faith and hope in the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus. Whether we are being tortured and killed in Palestine or ridiculed and marginalized in America, may our faithfulness and humility win for our Lord the heart and soul of even the most ruthless sinners.