Jesus Christ, "Strength of Martyrs"

My semester is chugging along at full speed. Tomorrow, I have to present a short reflection on "Strength of Martyrs" as a title for Jesus. The title appears in the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus. I thought I would share my reflection with you. I hope you enjoy it:

A martyr is “a person who chooses to suffer, even to die, rather than renounce his or her faith or Christian principles.” Because he refused to renounce his principles, such as his obedience to the will of his Father, Jesus was put to death by Roman soldiers. Thus, Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, is the greatest and first martyr.

And it has always been the case that martyrs, by their sacrifice, inspire and give strength to others. Consider this excerpt from the Martyrdom of Polycarp:

So, after all, we did gather up his bones—more precious to us than jewels, and finer than pure gold—and we laid them to rest in a spot suitable for the purpose. There we shall assemble, as occasion allows, with glad rejoicings; and with the Lord’s permission we shall celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom. It will serve both as a commemoration of all who have triumphed before, and as a training and a preparation for any whose crown may be still to come.

The 2nd century Christians found great strength in Polycarp. How much more, then, do we find strength in Polycarp’s inspiration: Jesus Christ.

But in what way is Christ the “strength of martyrs?” How does Christ strengthen us to the degree that we are willing to die for our faith in him? Well, as God provided strength for the Jewish people in the desert by giving them manna, Christ has provided us with strength for our journey in the Eucharist. Consider what Jesus said in the bread of life discourse: “Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:57-58)

The promises of Jesus’ words, and the sacramental reality they describe, have strengthened Christian martyrs all through history. Their words make it clear that the Eucharist was the source of their strength. The 49 martyrs of Abitene are one such example. During the Diocletian persecutions, these faithful Christians were arrested while celebrating the Eucharist in one of their homes. Asked why they had violated the emperor’s order, one of them responded “we cannot live without meeting on Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist. We would not have the strength to face the daily difficulties and not succumb.” Their faith was proven when they were soon executed.

We find the stories of early Christian martyrs inspiring. But let us not forget that Christians are dying for their faith even today. Life may be peaceful in this country. We may be free to express our Christian identity without fear in this part of the world. But elsewhere the last decades have seen many martyrs. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II received a list of 13,400 Christians who gave their lives for Christ in the preceding century. Numerous Christians have been captured, tortured, and beheaded in various parts of the world during recent years.

Like the early Christians we lament the suffering and death of our brothers and sisters who have suffered for their faith. Such injustices should not be allowed! Yet we rejoice in their witness, in their strength. And we, who are fortunate to be fed daily with the source of that strength, hope that such fidelity exists within our own hearts.

Jesus Christ, strength of Martyrs, Have mercy on us.
 
Bibliography

“Martyrdom of Polycarp” in Early Christian Writings, Penguin Books, p. 131
John A. Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1980) 335.

Benedict XVI, “Papal Homily at Italian Eucharistic Congress, ‘The Sacrament of Unity,’” given May 29th, 2005. Available online: http://www.zenit.org/article-13151?l=english

“20th-Century Martyrs: Heralds of Christian Unity?” Available online: http://www.zenit.org/article-9206?l=english.

Artwork is entitled "Christian Martyrs Last Prayer" by 19th century artist Jean-Léon Gérôme.  Image taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:The_Christian_Martyrs_Last_Prayer.jpg