Sermon on Saint Charles Lwanga and His Martyred Companions – June 3, 2026

Today the church commemorates Saint Charles Lwanga and his 21 fellow martyrs.

Between 1885 and 1887, they were martyred by King Mwanga of Uganda for being Christians and condemning the King's actions. Many were tortured and burned alive.

Rather than renounce their faith in Jesus Christ, they chose to sacrifice their lives. Their testimony continues to deliver a powerful message to the Church and to every believer today.

This commemoration day poses this question to us: What is more valuable to us: Christ or our own safety?

Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions answered this question not with words, but with their lives. Despite threats, torture, and death, they remained faithful to Christ.

Martyrdom is not about seeking suffering. Martyrs do not want to die; they want to remain faithful to Christ.

When the time of trial comes, they know that nothing is more precious than God's love. Therefore, they are witnesses of truth and faith.

The word "martyr" actually means "witness." It comes from Greek, martyr – meaning witness.

Therefore, every Christian is called to be a witness of Christ.

Not all of us will become martyrs by shedding blood; but we are all called to the martyrdom of daily life: to stand firm where it is easy to lie, to live our faith despite the pressures of the world, to forgive when we find it difficult to forgive, and not to deny Jesus even when we are ridiculed.

However, the life of Saint Charles Lwanga reminds us of an important truth: a Christian should be prepared to give even their life for Christ if necessary.

Our Lord did not promise us a path without a cross. Rather, He said: “Whoever wants to follow me should deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

Throughout history, countless men, women, young people, and children have shed their blood for the love of Jesus. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church.

What seemed like defeat in the eyes of men turned into a great victory in the hands of God. The death of the martyrs proclaims the resurrection of Christ and that eternal life is more powerful than death.

Saint Charles Lwanga and his friends were young people.

This shows us that holiness is not age-dependent. Today, the world needs young people who wholeheartedly say “yes” to God, who courageously defend the values of the Bible, and who are ready to make sacrifices when necessary.

Perhaps most of us today do not encounter physical martyrdom.

But we face other pressures: the fear of exclusion, the desire to conceal our faith in order to be accepted, and the pressure to conform to worldly values.

The martyrs teach us that a disciple of Christ cannot hide his faith. The Gospel must be proclaimed both in our words and in our lives.

Therefore, let us today invoke the intercession of Saint Charles Lwanga and his fellow martyrs. May their example give us the strength to remain faithful in both small and great trials. May we never be ashamed before Christ.

And if one day our faithfulness to the Lord requires suffering, persecution, or even shedding our blood, let us be able to say with the courage of the martyrs: Nothing in the world is more precious than belonging to Jesus Christ.

May the Virgin Mary teach us every day to give our lives for Jesus.