Martyrs’ sites shouldn’t be used for monetary gains

The themes and sermons at the Anglican and Catholic celebrations at the recent Martyrs’ Day were carefully selected to address the current spiritual challenges of today. They touched on the current wave of crimes, mainly kidnaps, killings, violence, and corruption.
These messages were widely broadcast in news media and questioned our faithfulness to God to the level of martyrdom. This is a challenge to us by our early believers, some of whom had not even been baptised. They had never read widely; they were inspired by Jesus at persecution. I am not even sure whether they had known the differences between Protestantism and Catholicism. They were just for Christ.

We see a similar scenario in the Old Testament in the second letter of Maccabees 7:1-39, where a mother and seven sons were martyred by the king for refusing to eat pork which the law of their ancestors forbade.
Bishop James Hannington being under the influence of the Holy Spirit said as his last words to soldiers who were persecuting him, “Go, and tell Mwanga I have purchased the road to Uganda with my blood.”
Blood is a sign of love if shed for the love of God. Bloody road to Uganda means ‘Christian love’ as opposed to the ‘hostility’ shown by the king. Martyrdom is a gift of God and like all gifts, we must ask for it to fight crimes.

A newspaper reported that 67.8 per cent of men and 32.1 per cent of women claimed they would die for their religion/faith if they were faced with similar situation like that of the Uganda martyrs. Should we believe this commitment? We see in the community people who steal money and become very generous, throwing it around for public opinion or to get votes.
These types of people always have clear conscious because they think the money was used for a ‘good purpose’. They can now get Holy Communion and become ‘good Christians’, very active in the church. However, there are people who actually want to make the celebration, a day of repentance by subjecting their bodies to long distance walk, fasting and prayer. Pilgrims were seen, for instance, at the Anglican museum, bursting into tears after seeing the sculptures.

There is a great tendency by both civil and Church authorities to commercialise these sites which will kill this primary objective of the celebrations. Pilgrims expect unique spiritual experiences and transformation when they visit these places.
Visitors/pilgrims to these sites should not be charged because their intentions are generally spiritual and even if it were not; their visits may inspire them to convert. Pilgrimage is not for monetary gain. It is like someone who has come to Church, whether he has come to pray or to see does not pay an entry fee. Some converts start by seeing. When Jesus saw them (John and Andrew), He asked, “What do you want?”
They asked, “Where are you staying?”

Jesus answered, “Come and you will see” (John 1:35-42). Curiosity invites us to Himself and converts us into His disciples.
However, safe boxes for secret offertory can be placed at the sites for pilgrims of good will to make their voluntary contributions/offerings. There is a need for a library/shop within to display and sell souvenirs to pilgrims.

It would be unfortunate if civil authorities target these holy sites for monetary gain through tourism. It is written, “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Mt 21:12). Jesus had issues with money because salvation is free. The country gains by the number of pilgrims/tourists who come and spend money in the country.
Many people are not comfortable with the term ‘museum’ being used by Church of Uganda for the martyrs’ holy site at Namugongo. The term ‘museum’ refers to a building where important objects are kept for people to see. It doesn’t capture the ‘prayerful mood’; rather it portrays as a secular institution.

Recently Anglicans were praying at Musa Mukasa’s chapel in Mulungu beach in memory of the martyr killed directly by Kabaka Mwanga. This is what these sites should be: for ‘prayer’ in memory of the martyrs. Saints cannot be personalised, or belong to a group of people; they are universal. However, if the Anglicans are not comfortable with the word, ‘shrine’, the museum could be renamed, “Uganda Martyrs’ Memorial Centre” because that is what it is meant to be – a place of prayer.