The Faces of Perfection-Youth

God has called all baptized Catholics to the life of perfection. As most of us are baptized when babies, this means that the grace given in baptism allows children to begin the life of virtue at a young age.

Why do we not urge children or adolescents to use the graces of the sacraments? 

There are too many child or adolescent saints to mention here but I want to highlight one. In October of 2007, when I was writing my first blog, Pope Benedict XVI beatified the 498 Spanish Martyrs.

Among those martyrs who died for their faith was 17. His name is Luis Abia Melendro and here are his details from http://www.conferenciaepiscopal.es/index.php/santos-y-beatos.html

• Nacido el 28/02/1919, en Abia de las Torres (Palencia), diócesis de Palencia
• Sufrió el martirio el 30/11/1936 en Paracuellos de Jarama (Madrid), diócesis de Madrid-Alcalá, en la actualidad diócesis de Alcalá de Henares
• Fecha beatificación: 28/10/2007
• Lugar de la sepultura: Camposanto de Paracuellos de Jarama, diócesis de Alcalá de Henares
• Fiesta: 6 noviembre

Look at the list of these young men, all Augustians, who are beatfied. The list is incomplete...They look like the seminarians I posted last night.......They all died in 1936, so you can figure out their ages.

                                       

                

        . 

                                             RAMIRO ALONSO LÓPEZ 

                professed cleric, Augustinians born: 28 March 1915

                DÁMASO ARCONADA MERINO

                professed priest, Augustinians

                born: 17 August 1904 

        .        BERNARDINO CALLE FRANCO

  

                 professed cleric, Augustinians

                                               born: 17 May 1916 

                                             PEDRO CARVAJAL PEREDA 

                                             
                                                  professed cleric, Augustinians

                                             born: 01 August 1912 

                                           VICTOR CUESTA VILLALBA 
                                        

                                          professed cleric, Augustinians

                                           born: 13 May 1917 

NEMESIO DÍEZ FERNÁNDEZ 

                professed cleric, Augustinians

                born: 20 February 1913 

JOSÉ GANDO UÑA 

                professed cleric, Augustinians

                born: 17 June 1910 

         

 NEMESIO GARCÍA  RUBIO  

                professed cleric, Augustinians

                born: 17 April 1912 

Now, some people say saints are born. I believe that we all can become saints, and therefore, sainthood is arrived by different paths. Martyrdom is one path. From one website on the Spanish martyrs is this quotation,
.

"Martyrdom" originally meant witness, the "martyr" is therefore a witness. The precise meaning from  the Second Century should be understood in light of the testimony of Jesus himself and for Him the Christian martyr is a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (cf. Jn 1 14).

Martyrdom is a "test" of the truth of Christianity if, we can say, like a quality control. Martyrs mark with their lives the reality of what we believe and hope, unmasking the temptation to turn the realities believed into mere words, interpretations, ideas, symbols or projections.

Love is tested in the ability to suffer for the beloved, and that true love is tested with real suffering.

In the words of the Gospel: "No one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13).The believer shows his seriousness to the extent that he is willing to bear the cross and persecution, because faith is the acceptance of God not only by the assent of the mind or the feelings of the heart, but above all with the fidelity in the thick of life (cf. 1 Pet 1.6 to 9). 

The Christian awaits eternal life as well, the martyrs bet their existence radically therefore

(awaiting)  the expected, based on the promise of God. The martyr certifies with their blood the truth and value of the divine commandments pointing to eternal life, without falling into indifference, subterfuges, interest or cynicism. The same Church witnesses the mystery that sustains the martyrdom of Her children. Martyrdom is a well tested and  a crucible of Christian authenticity and consistency of the actuality of Jesus Christ. 

Blázquez Pérez, Ricardo: "Who is a Christian martyr?"
In González Rodríguez, María Encarnación (Ed.), Christian martyrdom .
EDICE, Madrid 2007. pp. 33-60. p. 35-36