From CNA/EWTN News
A priest who witnessed to a miracle in communist Czechoslovakia in the 1940s was tortured and beaten to death for refusing to recant what his parishioners had seen. And now Catholics from the country are honoring his heroic virtue and pushing for him to be recognized as a martyr.
During the season of Advent in 1949 – the early phase of the communist era in Czechoslovakia – some parishioners told Fr. Toufar that they saw a cross at the altar in the church moving from one side to another several times. The event has come to be known as “the Cihost’ miracle.”
To prevent the news of the phenomenon from going public, the secret police interrogated Fr. Toufar, demanding that he say that he had moved the cross himself.
The priest, however, refused.
In response, the police beat him so drastically that he was unable to speak, walk or sit. Later tortured until he would sign a document asserting his guilt, he died two months after the miracle took place.
After Fr. Toufar’s death, the Church along with all religions were suppressed across the Soviet Union-led communist regime. The state was officially atheist and any accounts of miracles and those who spoke of them were treated in way to be erased from the record and the historical memory. The regime even filmed a documentary which tried to show that the Cihost’ miracle was a forgery.
Today’s secular society continually seeks “signs”. Constantly looks for the ONE THING that would change their minds in regards to the faith, to cause one to repent and believe in our Lord. Always missing the fact that the “signs” of our Lords presence in our lives and in this world are so bright and so prevalent, one with faith can never miss them, and those without faith in Him, will always refuse to believe they are His “signs” at all. Placing their faith in something other then Him. Some other reason, some other answer, some other theory. Therefor making it impossible for themselves to find exactly what all hearts seek, that being peace.
In my own life, in trying to share my personal experiences with Christ our Lord with others, sharing all He has done for me and all He continues to do,every second, I am beginning to see the importance in His silence during His “trial”. His silence, keeps us silent to those who refuse to believe in Him. Stone hearts stood in judgement over flesh. In their minds, our Lord was already guilty and all “they” wanted was to silence Him. If “they” could not silence Him, “their” world would change drastically. Their “lifestyle” would change drastically and they, in fact, would have to change. No different then today. The evil that drove them, as the same evil today, would cease to exist, if they only listened and acted when they had the chance. You see today, where this Communist era ended and the Church and her faithful, continue on. Patience in trials, obtains all.
As the Communists did here and secular society’s try to do today to Christians, by trying to force them to adhere to secular teachings rather then “cleave” to Him and what He has taught us, with abortion, homosexual marriage, euthanasia, promiscuity, divorce, and like any “used car”, to much to list, secular society’s believe they are “gods” and force others, the faithful, who do not comply with their teachings, just as they did to our Lord.
At our Lords trial, many asked Him to prove Himself. Prove His words and actions. It wouldn’t have mattered what He would have done, as their minds and hearts were made up to crucify Him. All He did and said, was used against Him, instead of for Him, therefor bringing about His death and Resurrection, over 2000 years ago. He continues on. He always continues on. He is timeless.
You see, those who DO listen, who do repent, who do change and follow Him, have that peace in this life our Lord promised. Those stone hearts that once sat in the chests of many, became flesh again and were able to love as He loves. As you are still in the world, repent. Don’t wait until death. At death, its to late to go back and do everything for Him, after doing everything against Him. Where is Communism in Czechoslovakia today? Dead. Our Lord is still alive. Everything is a miracle. Everything is a sign.
Today’s Gospel:
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.” – LK 11:29-32