March 7th, First Friday Fast

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JMJ  

". . . The day of their victory dawned, and they marched from the prison to the amphitheatre joyfully as though they were going to heaven, with calm faces, trembling, if at all, with joy rather than fear. Perpetua went along with shining countenance and calm step, as the beloved of God, as a wife of Christ, putting down everyone's stare by her own intense gaze. With them also was Felicitas, glad that she had safely given birth so that now she could fight the beasts, going from one blood bath to another, from the midwife to the gladiator, ready to wash after childbirth in a second baptism.

They were then led up to the gates and the men were forced to put on the robes of priests of Saturn, the women the dress of the priestesses of Ceres. But the noble Perpetua strenuously resisted this to the end.

'We came to this of our own free will, that our freedom should not be violated. We agreed to pledge our lives provided that we would do no such thing. You agreed with us to do this.'

Even injustice recognized justice. The military tribune agreed. They were to be brought into the arena just as they were. Perpetua then began to sing a psalm: she was already treading on the head of the Egyptian. Revocatus, Saturninus, and Saturus began to warn the on looking mob. Then when they came within sight of Hilarianus, they suggested by their motions and gestures: 'You have condemned us, but God will condemn you' was what they were saying.
At this the crowds became enraged and demanded that they be scourged before a line of gladiators. And they rejoiced at this that they had obtained a share in the Lord's sufferings. 

. . .There Perpetua was held up by a man named Rusticus who was at the time a catechumen and kept close to her. She awoke from a kind of sleep (so absorbed had she been in ecstasy in the Spirit) and she began to look about her. Then to the amazement of all she said: 'When are we going to be thrown to that heifer or whatever it is?'When told that this had already happened, she refused to believe it until she noticed the marks of her rough experience on her person and her dress. Then she called for her brother and spoke to him together with the catechumens and said: 'You must all stand fast in the faith and love one another, and do not be weakened by what we have gone through.'

. . .Ah, most valiant and blessed martyrs! Truly are you called and chosen for the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord! And any man who exalts, honours, and worships his glory should read for the consolation of the Church these new deeds of heroism which are no less significant than the tales of old. For these new manifestations of virtue will bear witness to one and the same Spirit who still operates, and to God the Father almighty, to his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is splendour and immeasurable power for all the ages. Amen."

(The Martyrdom of SS. Felicity & Perpetua, from the Acts of the Christian Martyrs)

While awaiting execution, the Japanese martyr, St. Paul Miki, spoke to the onlookers:

“As I come to this supreme moment of my life, I am sure none of you would suppose I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way. . ."

 What is the Christian way? It is the way of Christ, the way of the Cross.  The Church teaches that there are two types of martyrdom: red and white, the former pertaining to a bloody death endured due to persecution, the latter pertaining to the daily martyrdom of living a life in communion with Christ.  

Though a Christian would never believe that a red martyr's death was unnecessary suffering, he might be tempted to think a white martyr experiences senseless suffering because his crown of glory is so far from being won.  Especially in our time, when we are so accustomed to immediacy, it can be a difficult and arduous task to patiently suffer each day.

The words of St. Faustina can give great encouragement to those who can grow weary:

"O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain!  When I look at everything with the eyes of faith, no two hours are alike, and the dullness and monotony disapear.  The grace, which is given me in this hour will not be repeated in the next.  It may be given me again, but it will not be the same grace.  Time goes on, never to return again.  Whatever is enclosed in it will never change; it seals with a seal for eternity.

Our Lord said to not be afraid of those who can kill the body, but those who can kill the soul.  To faithfully live our vocation takes much courage, prayer, sacrifice and above all, grace- which can be so readily attained through living a sacramental life.  If we desire heaven, there is no other way.  The martyrs for marriage are not just those scourged and skewered in the public eye, but also those who faithfully live their vows, those who live the sign of contradiction: the sign of the Cross.

We must choose martyrdom each day.  As the red martyrs refused to deny their faith in the public square we must refuse to deny it in the private of our homes.  As their fidelity was rewarded, so ours will be as well.