On November 6, the Church invites us to celebrate the memory of our martyred sisters. There were 25 Vedruna sisters who gave their lives for the cause of Life, facing the forces of evil, with the power of goodness and Love until the end. They lived the dream of Joaquina, our Foundress, to the fullest: to work for the glory of God and the good of their neighbor.
Casaldáliga’s poem evokes his dedication:
Lives for Life.
Lives for the Kingdom.
All our lives, like their lives.
Like the life of Him, the martyr Jesus.
Their testimonies are a source of strength for us today. The pain and suffering they have endured germinate into energy that actualizes the passion of Christ and gives us the strength that saves and nourishes hope. Their lives, as authentic witnesses to Jesus, inspire us to continue to seek to make this world a place where all people fit.
Let us dream as one humanity, as walkers of the same human flesh, as children of this same earth that shelters us all, each one with the richness of his faith or his convictions, each one with his own voice, all brothers and sisters. (FT 8)
In the words of Pope Francis, the martyrs – of yesterday and today – invite us to dream of a new ecclesial springtime in which all humanity will be one in the Love of the Father, the Son and the Spirit (…) In imitation of Jesus, even in the midst of violence and persecution, they give the greatest proof of love, offering their lives and going so far as to forgive their enemies.
Our martyred sisters suffered in body and spirit. They did not seek martyrdom. According to witnesses, they showed their fear and anguish at the uncertain events that lay ahead. Their lives were rooted and grounded in love – that love that never says enough – as Joaquina reminds us. That is why they were able to give themselves in defense of other lives. Because of this, the messages they give us today are messages of forgiveness, peace and serenity in the midst of anguish and pain.
Together and together, let us ask the Lord that, through their intercession, we may continue to be their witnesses, especially when the winds blow in other directions, fighting for peace, justice and the healing of life, in complicity of love and goodness, always!
If you want to…
- to know more about the life of these 24 Vedruna Sisters Martyrs, we invite you to read the ccv booklet written by our Sister Yolanda Moreno, Witnesses of Faith, download HERE.
- pray with us the liturgical prayer of our Sister Martyrs, download HERE.
