From today’s reading...
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage,
because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.”
Today's first reading is from 2 Maccabees 7, one of several Old Testament books my Protestant brothers and sisters do not have.
It tells of the arrest, torture, and murder of seven sons and their mother by a king who wanted them to deny their faith.
It's a powerful story of love, faith, and confidence.
All they had to do was eat a little pork. No big deal, right? Maybe cross your fingers or toes as you eat it so it "didn't really count" so you could keep your head.
Nope.
This family stayed together, prayed together, and died together because free will and the state of the souls were more precious than their life on earth.
Read this story to see what it truly means to...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.