By Wulman83 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62656657
Today as the church celebrates Charles Lwanga and companions known as the Martyrs of Uganda, Christians who died for their faith but were seen as those who were rebellious and had to be executed.
Today is also known as Martyrs Day in Uganda to commemorate the 45 martyrs of which 22 were Catholics and 23 were Anglicans. Reflecting on their story, it is obvious that the battle for religious freedom is still very much a reality around the world. People still suffer in different ways because of their faith. People are deprived of their human dignity because of their faith and religious beliefs. Humanity is treated and reduced to a level beyond recognition because of hatred, power and control.
On this special day as we remember the suffering that people have to undergo because of their religious beliefs, we pray that someday our world will come to recognise that in freedom of religious practice we will be united because we are all sharers of the same humanity.
We pray for all those who endure long suffering, who are still undergoing suffering because of their faith that the spirit of God, rekindles within them hope that someday it will be well.
In gratitude for the life of sacrifice by our ancestors in the faith that have offered us lessons of courageous witness. We are grateful for the Grace of God upon all those who in our world today have to make sacrifices for the sake of the common good.
Lord, may they be blessed.
Amen.