Saint Lawrence Ruiz and companions

The Seven Brothers and Their Mother

It happened also that seven brothers were arrested with their mother. The king had them scourged and flogged to force them to eat the flesh of a pig, which was prohibited by the law.

One of them, speaking on behalf of all, said: “What do you want to find out from us? We are prepared to die right now rather than break the law of our ancestors.”

At the moment of his last breath, he said: “Murderer, you now dismiss us from life, but the king of the world will raise us up. He will give us eternal life since we die for his laws.”

After this, they punished the third. He stuck his tongue out when asked to, bravely stretched forth his hands,

and even dared to say: “I have received these limbs from God, but for love of his laws, I now consider them as nothing. For I hope to recover them from God.”

This young man’s courage touched the king and his court, so unconcerned about his sufferings.

When this one was dead, they subjected the fourth to the same torture.

At the point of death, he cried out: “I would rather die at the hands of mortals and wait for the promises of God who will raise us up; you, however, shall have no part in the resurrection of life.”

The Hostile World

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.

This wouldn’t happen if you belonged to the world, because the world loves its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you out of it; because of this, the world hates you.

Remember what I told you: the servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they would also persecute you. If they kept my word, they would also keep yours.

All this they will do to you because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.