MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES LWANGA COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, JUNE 3, 2026
- Olivia M. Bannan
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
Reading
2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.
He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher. On this account I am suffering these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know him in whom I have believed and am confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.
The Word of the Lord
REFLECTION
I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
St Charles Lwanga was a convert and a catechist. He served the tribal king, Mwanga in southern Uganda. The king was corrupt, a sex deviant abusing the pages in his court. St Charles Lwanga encouraged the pages to resist. There was retaliation in the form of execution of all Christians in his court. St Charles baptized the many who were to be executed and he, himself was burned alive on the feast day of Ascension Thursday.
St Charles Lwanga prayed for his charges just like St Paul prayed night and day for mercy, grace and peace of Timothy. He prayed for the Holy Spirit to be stirred in Timothy in spirit of power, love and self control.
Let us lift up our eyes to the Lord, in supplication for the strength and courage to always seek and do the will of God. Let us see God in all good, and pray for the happiness of heaven doing all He wants us to do.
Pray, pray and pray as St Charles Lwanga and St Paul did.
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"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God."
— Philippians 4:6
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