2nd Week after Holy Cross

Revelation 6:9-17
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony
they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy
and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on
the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and
told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of
their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon
to be killed as they themselves had been killed. When he opened the
sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became
black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of
the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken
by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every
mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the
earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful,
and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of
the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide
us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of
the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able
to stand?”

Matthew 12:43-45
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through
waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it
says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it
finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along
seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there;
and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also
with this evil generation.”

In the book of Revelations we see the martyrs, robed in white under the altar. Our liturgy follows this heavenly pattern when we put the relics of martyrs in pur own altars. The martyrs and saints are the victors even though thr eorld often thinks otherwise.

Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Lord,
in your mercy and grace gather the souls of all the dead
into the dwelling place of your majesty.
Place them forever within the realm of your glory
and let the brightness of your splendor shine upon them.
Grant them to rejoice at your right hand with all the saints, and in joy and exultation they will give you glory
and thanksgiving forever.
Amen.