Written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101921.cfm
When you read in detail about the incredible lives and horrendous deaths of St. Isaac Jogues and Companions who were 6 Jesuit priests and 2 laymen who served in our own country, we should all be humbled and inspired. They came from France in the 17th century to minister and serve the native American people of the Iroquois tribe. They learned their language, worked beside them, shared their traditions, and told them about the Christian faith. Many tribes people were converted because of the sanctity and sincerity of these men of Christ.
Unfortunately, as more Europeans immigrated to the States who carried unfamiliar diseases, an outbreak of smallpox around 1640 undermined the relationship between the missionaries and the tribe. The Indigenous people had no immunity for these new diseases, and although these good missionaries cared for the sick and celebrated the sacraments with the people, many of the native Americans connected the priests with the spread of this disease. Despite this, these saintly missionaries stayed with the Huron tribe and continued to minister to them.
At the same time all this was happening, a rivaling tribe was attacking this community and wanting to take possession of their land. The missionaries, however, stayed faithful to the people and over the course of the next 7 years were brutally captured, tortured and killed.
To many, these eight horrible deaths seemed like a total failure of the missionary sacrifices these men made. However, in God’s providence, they were to bear fruit. Isaac Jogues killer would later be baptized. And in the same village where 3 of these men were killed, Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk who became the first Native American saint, would be born 10 years later.
The 2nd century Christian author Tertullian said: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christian.” The suffering of these men became the seed of faith from which our Church in North America would grow and flourish. From them we can learn about serving others unselfishly, moving beyond our comfort level to reach out to those in need, and knowing that God can bring good out of suffering when we unite our hearts to His. Let us pray in their company today, and thank them for their sacrifices, sufferings, and love.
St. Isaac Jogues and Companions, thank you, and pray for us.
