Gospel in Art: The Blessed Martyrs of Douai College

Universitas Duacensis, The three colleges of the Université de Douai, by Adrien de Montigny, 1615, from the Album of Duke Charles of Croy © Christian Art / Wikimedia

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 29 October 2022
Luke 14:1,7-11

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, 'When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, "Give up your place to this man." And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, "My friend, move up higher." In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.'

Reflection on the manuscript page

Today we celebrate the The Blessed Martyrs of Douai College. The 158 Martyrs of Douai were a group of seminarians who trained for the priesthood at Douai College in France during the English Reformation. After their training, they returned to England and were executed for preaching the Catholic faith. Their executions took place over a period of time, between 1577 and 1680, when being a Catholic priest was considered high treason. They gave their lives to defend and preserve what we can so easily take for granted today: the Eucharist and the other sacraments. The Douai Martyrs teach us about sacrifice. Eighty of them were beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI.

With around 2,000 registered students and several hundred professors, Douai was the second largest university of France during the 17th and 18th centuries. Although it was known mainly for mathematics and physics, the Faculty of Theology, too, was an important center for Catholic scholarship. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus calls for humility. The Douai martyrs did exactly that: humbly serving Christ to the point of being killed for their faith, traveling from France back to England knowing their own death would follow.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/

Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-14-17-11-2022/