Welcome to this moment of reflection. Today, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the Church invites us into a powerful intersection of Scripture and history. We find ourselves in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time, but the "ordinary" nature of the season is set ablaze by the memorial we celebrate today: Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, the Ugandan Martyrs.
As we look at the daily readings from 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 and Mark 12:18-27, a consistent theme emerges: a theme of fire, life, and the enduring power of a God who does not belong to the past, but to the eternal present.
Rekindle the Gift: A Flame That Needs Tending
In our first reading, we listen in on a deeply personal letter from St. Paul to his young protege, Timothy. Paul is writing from a place of hardship: likely his final imprisonment in Rome: yet his words aren't filled with bitterness. Instead, they are filled with an urgent, fatherly encouragement.
He tells Timothy, and he tells us today: "I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you."
The Greek word Paul uses for "rekindle" is anazopyrein, which literally means to "stir into a flame" or to "fan the embers." It’s a beautiful image for our spiritual lives. Think about a campfire at the end of a long night. The bright, roaring flames might have died down, but beneath the grey ash, the coals are still white-hot. They haven’t gone out; they just need a bit of air and some fresh fuel to roar back to life.
Our faith is often like those embers. Life happens. We get busy, we get tired, or perhaps we get discouraged by the challenges of the world. The initial "fire" we felt at our Confirmation, a retreat, or a moment of deep conversion might feel like it has settled into a quiet glow. St. Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit is a gift that requires our cooperation. We have to "fan the flame."
How do we do that? Paul gives us the blueprint. He reminds Timothy that God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power, love, and self-control. When we feel "dim," it is often because we have let fear or "cowardice" take the driver's seat. Rekindling the flame means stepping back into the power of the Gospel, choosing love over indifference, and practicing the self-control that keeps us focused on Christ.
The God of the Living: Hope in the Resurrection
While St. Paul talks about the internal fire of the soul, the Gospel of Mark takes us to a debate about the ultimate nature of life itself. The Sadducees, a group who famously did not believe in the resurrection, come to Jesus with a "gotcha" question. They pose a hypothetical scenario about a woman married to seven brothers in succession, asking whose wife she will be in the resurrection.
Jesus’ response is profound. He tells them they are misled because they know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. He explains that life in the resurrection isn't just a "v2.0" of our earthly life with the same social structures. It is something entirely new.
But then He hits them with the core truth: "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
When God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush, He said, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He didn't say "I was their God." By the time of Moses, these patriarchs had been dead for centuries, yet God speaks of them in the present tense.
This is the foundation of our hope. If God is the God of the living, then those we love who have passed away are alive in Him. It means that our current struggles, our physical limitations, and even death itself do not have the final word. Knowing that we serve the "God of the Living" changes how we live now. We don't live as people who are merely waiting for the end; we live as people whose lives are anchored in eternity. This perspective gives us a joy and a purpose that the world cannot take away.
St. Charles Lwanga and the Fire of Africa
There is no better example of "rekindling the flame" and trusting in the "God of the Living" than the martyrs we honor today. The story of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions is one of the most moving chapters in the history of the global Church.
In the late 19th century, in what is now Uganda, the Gospel began to take deep root. Among the converts were young men and boys who served as pages in the court of King Mwanga II. Charles Lwanga was a leader among them, a catechist who took it upon himself to protect and instruct his fellow pages in the faith.
The King grew hostile toward the Christians, partly because they refused to participate in traditional rituals and partly because the young men, strengthened by their new faith, refused the King’s abusive sexual demands. They chose the "spirit of power and love" over the "spirit of cowardice."
On June 3, 1886, Charles Lwanga and several others were led to Namugongo. Charles was burned at the stake. As the fires were lit, he remained remarkably calm, reportedly telling his executioner that the fire felt like cool water. He knew that the God he served was the God of the living. He knew that while his body might be destroyed, his life was hidden with Christ.
The martyrdom of these 22 Catholic men (and many Anglicans) didn't extinguish the faith in Uganda. Instead, it acted as the "fuel" that fanned the flame across the entire continent. Today, Africa is one of the most vibrant centers of the Catholic Church, a testament to the fact that the blood of the martyrs is truly the seed of the Church.
Connection to the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA)
The story of the Ugandan Martyrs is not just a historical footnote for us at The Pontifical Mission Societies. It is the very heartbeat of our mission, particularly through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA).
The Ugandan Martyrs were local people. They weren't foreign missionaries; they were the sons of the soil who took the Gospel to heart and became its greatest witnesses to their own people. This is exactly what SPA is all about.
Founded over 130 years ago, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle was created to support the formation of indigenous clergy and religious in mission territories. We believe that the best way to ensure the Church grows sustainably is to support the "Charles Lwangas" of today: the young men and women in Africa, Asia, and beyond who are answering the call to serve their own communities as priests and sisters.
When you support SPA, you are helping to:
- Provide Subsidies: Funding the daily needs, food, and housing for seminarians and novices.
- Build Seminaries: Ensuring there are safe and adequate spaces for formation and study.
- Fund Scholarships: Helping future seminary formators get the advanced education they need to teach the next generation.
- Rekindle the Flame: By removing financial barriers, you allow a young man's vocation to be "fanned into a flame" rather than extinguished by poverty.
By supporting local vocations, you ensure that the message of the "God of the Living" continues to be preached in every language and culture. These future priests and religious know the nuances of their local traditions; they speak the heart-language of their people. They are the ones who will stand in the line of the martyrs, fanning the flame of faith for years to come.
Reflection: Tending Your Own Fire
As we go about our day, let’s take a moment to look inward.
- Is there an area of your faith that feels a bit "dim" lately? Perhaps your prayer life has become routine, or your sense of joy has been overshadowed by the news of the world. How can you "rekindle" it today? It doesn't have to be a grand gesture. A few minutes of silent prayer, reading a favorite Scripture passage, or performing a small, hidden act of service can be the "air" those embers need.
- How does knowing that God is the "God of the living" change your perspective? When we face challenges: be it illness, loss, or stress: we often feel like we are reaching a dead end. But in Christ, there are no dead ends. How can that hope give you the "spirit of power" to face today’s obstacles?
- Are you called to help fan the flame for others? We are a global family. Your prayers and support for missions are the fuel that keeps the light of Christ burning in places where it might otherwise struggle.
Conclusion
St. Paul ended our reading with a powerful declaration of confidence: "For I know him in whom I have believed."
That is our goal: not just to know about God, but to know Him. To know the God of the living who calls us by name. To know the God who gives us a spirit of love and power.
Let’s live with that same confidence today! Thank you for being such an essential part of our global mission family. Your generosity is a witness to the world that the fire of the Gospel is alive and well.
God bless you,
( Fr.) ADD