I give my life to Him who laid down His for mankind - Saint Matthew of Beauvais.
Saint Matthew of Beauvais was a French knight who lived during the 10th century. When Pope Urban II preached the First Crusade to free the Holy Land, he immediately joined the cause. In 1908, he was captured by the Saracens and martyred after he refused to denounce his Christian faith.
Matthew said to them, “I give my life to Him who laid down His for mankind.” And with that, he was immediately beheaded.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if we wish to attain heaven, we must be prepared to truly follow Christ by cutting off every and all things that will make us not attain the kingdom of heaven by resisting our evil inclinations. Then through sacrifice, give up things that are needed and that are dearest to our human nature and avoid the temptations of the devil.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, as Jesus reminded us in today’s gospel reading to be the last of all and the servant of all, if we wish to be first, let us become better servants and disciples of Christ by becoming true servants of all in our devotedness to God, in our obedience to Him, by being humble and by being honest in our service to Him and in our dealings with others.
