Commemoration of Saints Protus and Hyacinth, Martyrs
IV Class Feria – 1st of September
Today’s liturgical readings on this Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam XIII post Octavam Pentecostes, taken from Galatians 3:16–22 and Luke 17:11–19, offer a deep wellspring for meditation on the nature of faith, grace, and gratitude, especially when considered in the context of the Church’s ancient tradition and the witness of the saints.
Galatians 3:16–22: The Promise and the Law
St. Paul reminds the Galatians—and us—of the divine priority of the promise made to Abraham, which was not annulled by the Mosaic Law that came 430 years later. “To Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed,” says the Apostle. And he is quick to clarify: “He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal. 3:16).
Here we are led to contemplate the primacy of Christ as the fulfillment of the ancient promise. The Law, though holy, was “added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” (v. 19). It was not against the promises of God, but served as a pedagogue, preparing hearts for the fullness of divine grace that would be revealed in the Incarnate Word.
St. John Chrysostom, in his commentary on Galatians, notes:
“He shows that the Law was not contrary to the promises but served to lead us to Christ, like a schoolmaster to bring the child to maturity. But when faith is come, the Law withdraws.”
This pedagogy of the Law humbles man, showing his inability to attain righteousness by works alone. It thus opens the soul to the necessity of grace. The promise, as St. Paul teaches, is not given because of merit, but through faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith is itself a gift.
Luke 17:11–19: The Grateful Samaritan
This Gospel passage provides a luminous example of what St. Paul is describing: the gratuitous gift of healing given to the ten lepers, and the faith and gratitude of the one—a Samaritan—who returns to give thanks.
“And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before His feet, giving thanks.” (Luke 17:15–16)
Here, Christ reveals the true disposition of the soul who has received grace: not mere external obedience (all ten obeyed the instruction to go show themselves to the priests), but interior conversion, the turning back to the Lord in thanksgiving.
St. Bede the Venerable writes:
“By this one returning, the Jews are rebuked who, receiving the benefits of the Lord, were ungrateful; while the Gentile, in the person of the Samaritan, gives thanks and believes.”
Indeed, this healed foreigner becomes a sign of the new covenant—that salvation is not bound to a nation, nor to the Mosaic rites, but is open to all who believe. And more than physical healing is offered: “Thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:19). Here, “whole” (σέσωκέν σε – “saved you”) signifies salvation of the soul, not merely bodily restoration.
Faith and Martyrdom: Saints Protus and Hyacinth
As we commemorate Saints Protus and Hyacinth, Roman martyrs of the 3rd century, their lives bear witness to this same faith that St. Paul exalts and the Samaritan embodies. Though not Jews by birth, these brothers embraced Christ and sealed their confession with blood. In an age when legal religion was weaponized against the faith, they stood firm—not by the Law, but by the promise, and the power of Christ’s grace.
St. Cyprian of Carthage says of the martyrs:
“The martyrs are the imitators of Christ’s Passion, bearing witness not by words only, but by deeds, that the faith is not in vain.”
Their martyrdom teaches us that faith, when true, expresses itself in both gratitude and sacrifice—a pattern seen in the leper who returned, and perfected in those who, like Protus and Hyacinth, gave everything for the Kingdom.
Conclusion: The True Heir
Today’s epistle and gospel bring into focus the unity of God’s plan: the Law prepared us, Christ fulfilled the promise, and through faith, we are made heirs—not merely of the Law, but of eternal life. And like the one leper who returned, and like the holy martyrs, we are called to respond to this gift with heartfelt thanksgiving, humble adoration, and lives offered in return.
St. Augustine, in his homilies on the Gospels, comments:
“Faith gives birth to thanksgiving; the proud man does not give thanks, for he sees the gift as his due. But the humble knows he has received, and so he returns with praise.”
May we walk humbly with this faith, nourished by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and ever mindful of the saints who have gone before us, especially today, Saints Protus and Hyacinth, faithful witnesses of Christ.
Prayer of the Day:
O God, who didst adorn Thy holy Martyrs Protus and Hyacinth with constancy in faith and loyalty in suffering: grant us, we beseech Thee, to imitate them in love of Thee, that we may also be made partakers of their eternal reward. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.