…You have one homeland,
the bell rings, grave, deep,
Vietnam prays.
The bell rings still, sharp, charged with emotion,
Vietnam weeps.
The bell rings again, vibrant pathetic,
Vietnam triumphs.
The bell tolls, crystalline
Vietnam hopes.

You have one homeland, Vietnam;
a country so beloved, through the centuries.
It is your pride, your joy.
Love her mountains and her rivers,
her brocade and satin landscapes,
her glorious history,
her hard-working people,
her heroic defenders.

The raging rivers run
as does the blood of her people.
Her mountains are high,
but higher still the bones that are piled there.
The land is narrow, but her ambition vast,
O little country much renowned!

Help your homeland with your whole self,
be faithful to her;
defend her with your body and blood,
build her up with your heart and mind,
share the joy of your brothers and sisters,
and the sadness of your people.

One Vietnam.
One people.
One soul.
One culture.
One tradition.

Catholics of Vietnam,
love a thousand times your homeland!
The Lord teaches you, the Church asks you –
may the love of your country be fully one
with the blood that runs through your veins.

(Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish, poem written during house arrest on December 8, 1975)

Reflection

What is amazing is that these words were written by a man under arrest by the very government of the country he loves. For thirteen years he will be imprisoned and eventually exiled from his beloved homeland. But his heart does not succumb to bitterness; instead it turns to hope.

In speaking of the Twenty-four Paragraphs which we have been meditating upon these past few weeks, Cardinal Van Thuan remarks, “They are very practical points. If we live the twenty-four hours of our day radically for Jesus, we will be saints. They are the twenty-four stars that light up our road of hope … Reread these thoughts once a week. You will find that grace will shine forth, transforming your lives.”

You have only one reward: God himself. When God asked Saint Thomas Aquinas: “You have written well of me, Thomas; what reward do you desire?” Saint Thomas replied, “Only you, Lord.” (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

Have one way of becoming holy: the grace of God and your will to live by grace (cf. 1 Cor 15:10). God will never be lacking with his grace; but is your will strong enough? (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

Have only one important objective: your duty. It is not important if it is large or small, because when you do your duty you are collaborating with the Heavenly Father, who has determined that this is the work that you alone must do to carry out his plan in history (cf. Lk 2:49, Jn 17:4). Many people invent complicated ways of practicing virtue and then they complain how difficult it is, but doing your duty is the most certain and simplest path of virtue you can follow. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

Have one “magna carta”: the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12). Jesus proclaimed them in the Sermon on the Mount. Live according to them and you will experience a happiness which you will then communicate to all whom you meet. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

Reflection

The Beatitudes are the charter document of our true citizenship. As we live by the vision of the
Beatitudes we give witness to where our ultimate citizenship resides: the Kingdom of God. In this living of the Beatitudes we become salt and light for others. “And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same…” (Nelson Mandela)

You have only one moment which is the most beautiful: the present moment (cf. Mt 6:34, Jas 4:13-15). Live it completely in the love of God. If your life is built up like a large crystal from millions of such beautiful moments, it will be a wonderfully beautiful life. Do you see how easy it is? (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

Your only food: “The Father’s will (Jn 4:34); that is, you live and grow by the will of God. Your actions proceed from the will of God. The will of God is like food which makes you live strongly and happily; if you live apart from the will of God, you will die. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

There is only one truly important thing: “Mary chose the better part” when she sat at the Lord’s feet (Lk 10:41-42). If you are not living an interior life, if Jesus is not the very life and soul of your activities then…. You fully understand the consequences of such living and so there is no need for me to repeat them here. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

For your apostolate use the one most effective means: personal contact. With this you enter into the lives of others, you understand them and love them. Personal relationships are more effective than preaching and writing books. Contact between people and “heart to heart” exchanges will be the secret of your perseverance and your success. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)

There is only one thing lacking: “Go home and sell all that belongs to you; give it to the poor, and so the treasure you have shall be in heaven; then come back and follow me” (Mk 10:21). You have to make up your mind once and for all. Our Lord wants volunteers free from other attachments. (Cardinal Van Thuan, Five Loaves and Two Fish)