Sending of the Apostles (Matthew 10:16-25)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
The Maronite Church celebrates this Sunday the sending of the Apostles. We listen to a passage from the gospel of St. Matthew that is taken from the period before the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. These words spoken by Christ are before the coming of the Holy Spirit and his glorification. Christ reveals the power of the Holy Spirit and His work in each disciple, imparting knowledge, wisdom and fortitude.
St. Matthew Ayariga is one of only 21 people officially recognized as 21st century martyrs by both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. He has a further distinction: His the only one one among the 21 who was not a Coptic Orthodox Christian. There is even some speculation that he may not have been Catholic either.
Ayariga was beheaded along with 20 construction workers colleagues by Islamic State militants on a beach in Libya in February 2015. They were canonized together as martyrs days later by Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II. In May 2023, Pope Francis, with Pope Tawardo’s II consent, announced that the 21 martyrs would be “included in the Roman Martyrology as a sign of the spiritual communion uniting our two Churches.”
We know extraordinarily little about Matthew Ayariga. Most sources agree that he was from Ghana, although there is some speculation that he might be from Chad which borders Libya. Many accounts suggest that he was raised a Christian. Some believe that Ayariga was a Catholic. Although some believe he was not baptizd and therefore believe his martyrdom was a “baptism of blood”, there is no evidence to believe he was not baptized. In fact, his heroic death would seem to indicate the power of the grace of the sacrament of baptism.
He, like so many from Africa, left his home and family to better his situation, finding work wherever he could. By early 2015, he made his way to the Libyan port town of Sirte, having joined a group of Coptic Orthodox construction workers from various villages in Egypt.
The now infamous video released by Islamic state in February 2015 shows the martyrs in bright orange jumpsuits, being led on the coast of Libya, followed by black clad ISIS jihadists. The martyrs can be seen clearly praying in the last moments before their execution. Matthew, who was clearly not Egyptian, was given an opportunity to escape this gruesome death by beheading. Questioned by his captors, Matthew is said to have said: “their God is my God”.
The Holy Spirit is always at work. As disciples of Christ, we never know when we may be put to the ultimate test of our faith. The simple profession of faith made by St. Matthew Ayariga is a testimony that the Holy Spirit at work in the hearts of all men, leading them to the truth and witnessing to Christ.
† Selim Sfeir
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus