This week we celebrate the feasts of several martyrs, beginning with St Justin Martyr on June 1, Ss Marcellinus and Peter on June 2, then the 19th-century martyrs St Charles Lwanga and his companions on June 3. Finally we have, on June 5, St Boniface, an 8th-century martyr who played a major role in the establishment of monastic life across Europe. We also begin this month’s series on saints who studied law, which also includes martyrs such as St Catherine of Alexandria and St Thomas Becket.
The readings at Mass provide us with the Letters of Saint Paul to Timothy, which address the challenges that will inevitably attend the Christian life. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
