Patience and Salvation: Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (1 John 5:1-5; Psalm 126:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6; John 12:24-26)

Today is the memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong was a soldier in China who helped escort a Catholic bishop to prison. While carrying out orders to persecute Christians, he encountered the bishop's faith and courage. Through God's patience and grace, he eventually converted to Christianity, was baptized, became a priest, and later suffered martyrdom himself during the persecution of Catholics.  

From a certain perspective, you could say he was a weed that became wheat that would later die to produce much fruit.

In Saint Augustine’s time, Christian missionaries and converts were imprisoned, tortured, and executed, while many of their persecutors appeared to hold power and authority.

As we often see, God did not immediately punish those involved in persecution. Instead, He showed patience. Saint Augustine himself benefited from that patience: before his conversion, he was part of the Christian oppression. Had God acted only in judgment, Augustine might never have had the opportunity to repent and become a saint.

His life demonstrates that God's patience is ordered toward salvation. The same patience that allows evildoers time to continue in their ways also gives them the opportunity to change. Augustine's conversion from a soldier carrying out persecution to a faithful priest and martyr is a powerful example of how God can transform a sinner into a saint.

In his monthly challenge, Archbishop Lori requests that we reach out to a family member or friend and invite them to go to the sacrament of penance.

In this challenge, he asks us to reflect on the following questions;  In what ways are you like wheat, and in what ways are you like a weed? Are you envious or disturbed by those who lead unholy lives but seem to prosper? Do you find it difficult to love the “weeds” in your life, to pray for and work toward their salvation?

Whether we more resemble a weed or wheat, or even if we feel like we are surrounded by nothing but weeds, we can be grateful that God's patience is ordered to salvation.  We can trust God to give opportunities through which He brings about repentance, conversion, and ultimately holiness.

In the spirit of patience and repentance, those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Thanks be to God!