Readings

February 4: [Manche Masemola, Martyr, 1928]

The Collect of the Day

Manche Masemola

Almighty and Everlasting God, who kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your faithful martyr Manche Masemola: Grant to us your servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in her triumph may profit by her example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Manche Masemola

Almighty and Everlasting God, who didst kindle the flame of thy love in the heart of thy faithful martyr Manche Masemola: Grant unto us thy servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in her triumph may profit by her example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It is believed that Manche Masemola was born around 1913, in Marishane, South Africa. She grew up with her parents, two older brothers, a younger sister named Mabule, and a cousin named Lucia. She was not sent to school, but worked with her family on their farm. Her family was not Christian, but rather followed traditional local religious practices. The Christian community in their region was very small, and was looked upon by most people with much suspicion.

In 1919 Fr. Augustine Moeka of the Anglican Community of the Resurrection established a mission at Marishane. Manche Masemola and her cousin Lucia first heard Moeka preach as a result. She was eager to learn more, and began to attend worship services and classes at the mission twice a week.

Soon she expressed a desire to be baptized, but her parents tried to forbid her. When their prohibitions failed to dissuade her, she was beaten. On a number of occasions, Manche Masemola remarked to Lucia and Moeka that she would die at her parents’ hands and be baptized in her own blood. Then, on or near 4th February 1928, her mother and father took her away to an isolated place and killed her, and buried her by a granite rock on a remote hillside. She was about fifteen years old.

Although she was not yet baptized, the church has historically recognized catechumens who died before they could be baptized as being baptized by their desire for baptism. In 1935 a small group of Christians first made a pilgrimage to her grave. Larger groups followed in 1941 and 1949. Now, hundreds visit the site every August. In 1975 her name was added to the calendar of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa.

Manche Masemola is one of the twentieth-century martyrs whose statues are displayed at Westminster Abbey. More than 40 years after her daughter’s murder, her mother was also baptized into the church in 1969.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

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Psalm

8It is better to rely on the Lord *than to put any trust in flesh.

9It is better to rely on the Lord *than to put any trust in rulers.

10All the ungodly encompass me; *in the Name of the Lord I will repel them.

11They hem me in, they hem me in on every side; *in the name of the Lord I will repel them.

12They swarm about me like bees; they blaze like a fire of thorns; *in the name of the Lord I will repel them.

13I was pressed so hard that I almost fell, *but the Lord came to my help.

14The Lord is my strength and my song, *and he has become my salvation.

Gospel

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Matthew 19:13–15

13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

Ruth 1:8–18

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 10 They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.” 14 Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” 18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.