The late Pope John Paul II beatified 117 Vietnamese Martyrs on June 19, 1988. There is very little information about them. Today, the Catholic Church celebrates their feast. What can we benefit from such celebrations?
Nowadays, many countries and cities are prosperous. However, most of them suffer under the curse of their own successes. Prosperity comes with a culture of death. The attitude of many citizens towards life is very negative. Their choices are very short-term. Their temper is very short-fused. Very easily, people commit suicide to runaway from sufferings. Therefore, I feel strongly that we can learn something from the examples of these martyrs. Their deaths (and of course their lives) can be very valuable and positive. A Chinese idiom says, "Death can be weighty as Tai Mountain and lighter than the breast feather of a swallow." Indeed, to be able to die a martyrdom for the Lord is really the smartest investment of a lifetime! Our ordinary and insignificant life is suddenly crowned with the glory and honour of a martyr. Isn't this the best investment strategy?

Today, we read Daniel 2. This is a famous passage and many people have offered their interpretations of the 4 or 5 kingdoms symbolized by the different parts of the statue. A search on the Internet for "Nebuchadnezzar's statue vision" will even yield a lot of pictures and webpages. Therefore, I will not take part in this identification parade.
Biblical scholars agree that the editor of this book of Daniel was actually working in about 160 B.C., during the time of the Seleucid Dynasty. Therefore, this story is not a foretelling of the future but a wrapping up of the current history in a "prophetic" way. The author seemed to be talking about the future but in fact, he was telling the present in code. The author could not name names directly. Otherwise, he would be the first of a company to be summoned and publicly executed.
Usually, prophetic books are collections of oracles which are not arranged in any coherent order. Neither are they arranged chronologically nor geographically. We seldom find large portions of narratives in these books. However, the book of Daniel reads more like a novella than a collection of unrelated oracles. Therefore, it is not put among the Prophets but among the Writings in the Hebrew Scripture.

So, what can we learn from this chapter?
We Christians cherish a worldview in which God is the author of human history. Though He is silent, He intervenes actively in human activities. We are confident that behind and above all kings and rulers, God is working to protect His elected ones. Therefore, the Vietnamese Christians were not afraid to die a martyrdom. They rested assured that God would receive their souls in heaven.

Dear Lord, You, who are the author of human history, help us discern and carry out the will of the Father on earth. Amen.

This is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. In 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King to combat against the tides of nationalism and secularism at that time. In 1969, Pope Paul VI made this feast the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year.
Some years ago, our parish, the Holy Redeemer Church, still celebrated her feast day on Transfiguration which is on the 6^th of August. However, August is very hot and many people travel abroad during the summer holiday. The parish priest at that time was Fr. John Baptist Kwan. He is a very capable administrator. He boldly changed the feast day to Christ the King.

Fr. Milanese celebrated the feast day of the parish for the first time today. He began his mass with a little story of a king who gave all his treasures to his subjects. This king was also compassionate towards the sick, the poor and the needy. In the end, he had given up all his treasures and commanded no more authority. Yet, he was well loved by all his subjects. This king was Jesus.
I think he told this story before mass because today, some 26 teenagers were going to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Milanese was trying to explain the nature of Jesus' kingship in an easily accessible way. Christ is not just one more king in this world. He is very special and different from the others because this king empties himself for his subjects. No king on earth would do that.

In his homily, Fr. told us a bit of the history of the Feast of Christ the King. He mentioned how Pope Pius XI instituted this feast to fight against nationalism and secularism in 1925. Secularism is a humanism without God. Many people are attracted by its promises, especially because the Church has lost her attraction. Fr. Milanese told the teenagers that in their secondary school life, they will meet many wrong teachings and theories. These teachings are very attractive. They promise to build a kingdom of heaven on earth without God. They are scientific etc. Milanese encouraged our teenagers not to be afraid of these assaults because we have Jesus Christ who is willing to empty himself for our good. No scientific theory can replace his love for us.

Dear King, You are the King of the Universe. In my mind's eyes, I can see You enthroned, yet not very clearly. It is because You are very far away from me. There are millions and millions of people standing between us. Lord, I don't have the motivation to go closer. Perhaps it is not people but sins that are standing between us. Help me see my sins, mourn over them and beg You for Your pardon. Amen.

1 Maccabees 4 tells us about the origin of the Jewish feast of dedication of the altar --- Hanukkah. The Greek overlords wanted to push forth her Hellenization process. They tried to abolish Judaism and struck her at her nerve-centre. These overlords had no respect for the religion of other people. They even defiled their Temple and altar.

With God's help, Judah Maccabeus and his 3000 unarmed men (2 Maccabees 4:6) were able to defeat an army of 5000 infantry and 1000 cavalry (2 Maccabees 4:1).The next year, Judah led 10000 men (2 Maccabees 4:29) to meet 60000 infantry men and 5000 cavalry (2 Maccabees 4:28) and defeated them. Once again, God proves that the success of the Israelites depends on Him, not on numbers nor military might. Judah Maccabeus cleansed up the defiled Temple, rebuilt the altar and dedicated it again to God. This was the origin of the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah.

In the war cry, Judah encouraged his men to rely on God to fight their battle. He quoted the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. However, his language bordered on putting God to the test. I don't think it is a problem of translation. See the Greek text below.
But Judas said to the men who were with him, "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. 
Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. 
And now let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our fathers and crush this army before us today. 
Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel." (1 Maccabees 4:8-11)
"to see whether He will ..." Was this not putting God to test?
εἰ θελήσει ἡμᾶς καὶ μνησθήσεται διαθήκης πατέρων
(whether favour us and remember covenant fathers)
In the second encounter with the 650000 army, Judah was more certain of God's help. In his war cry, he quoted the campaigns of David and Jonathan against the Philistines.
So do thou hem in this army by the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. 
Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. 
Strike them down with the sword of those who love thee, and let all who know thy name praise thee with hymns.(1 Maccabees 4:31-33)

The quotations taken from OT history are worthy studying. In the first speech, their continued existence was called into question. Therefore, Judah quoted the story of crossing the Red Sea. This crossing was critical. Without it, Israel did not even exist. Judah was facing a similar situation. These unarmed men desperately needed a miracle to survive.
One year later, their position was more consolidated, though still insecure. They were outnumbered but they would win because they had God on their side.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your patience with us. We are insecure and weak in faith. Allow us to call on You for help. Amen.