They lived and stood for Christ; for light, for truth, for love and the news that God loved us all so much that He was willing to die to save us. These men and women throughout the history of the Church tirelessly proclaimed this message.
And died for it.
Crucifixions. Burnings. Beheadings. Hung. Dismembered. Shot. Fed to animals.
They died rather than refute the teachings of Christ Jesus, who they proclaimed the Living Lord.
They died rather than back away safely into society.
They endured torture and prison. They withstood shunning from family and friends.
All for Christ.
And they're still doing it today.
We, in our relatively safe and comfortable society forget how many people die around the world for Jesus. (Someone is killed every 11 minutes for Christ.) And we often pay no attention.
We have the history of the Church accessible to us through libraries and the internet, but how many of us know the stories of the martyrs.
Today is All Saints' Day in the Western Church calender, a day that by tradition many Christians from many denominations (Catholic and Protestant) honor those who have lived and died for the Lord. (The Orthodox honor this feast day in the Spring.) Today, of all days, we should take time to think about Peter being crucified, and Tynsdale being burned, or the Martyrs of Japan, Joan of Arc, Thomas Becket ...the list goes on and on.
For 2,000 years men and women have willingly died for Christ and His message. There are so many who have been persecuted and slain whose names we do not know, but we can still give thanks to God for their courage and loyalty.
And we can honor those who are suffering today for Christ; by prayer, by writing our officials to ask them to put pressure on countries that allow persecution of Christians, by giving money to organizations that help the persecuted. We can all do something.
We have it so easy, and I am ashamed. And I can only earnestly pray to God that if the time comes that I might be able to stand for Him in such a way that He gives me the strength and courage to not falter.
Thank you Lord for those who have come before. Thank you for their examples, for their love, for their bravery. Precious are they in Your sight, O Lord, and may they be ever precious in my heart. May their stories ever move me and shake me from my complacency. Thank you Lord for those who are standing for You today, even in the face of adversity and torment. Strengthen them, O Lord, and move the hearts of Christians everywhere to intercede in prayer and action on their behalf.
In the name of Him who loved us first,
Amen.
Amen.
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