Let Me Not Only be
Called a Christian, But Prove to be One
You have never begrudged the
martyrs their triumph but rather trained them for it. And so I am asking you to
be consistent with the lessons you teach them. Just beg for me the courage and
endurance not only to speak but also to will what is right, so that I may not
only be called a Christian, but prove to be one. For if I prove myself to be a
Christian by martyrdom, then people will call me one, and my loyalty to Christ
will be apparent when the world sees me no more. Nothing you can see is truly
good. For our Lord Jesus Christ, now that he has returned to his Father, has
revealed himself more clearly. Our task is not one of producing persuasive
propaganda; Christianity shows its greatness when it is hated by the world.
I am
writing to all the churches to declare to them all that I am glad to die for
God, provided you do not hinder me. I beg you not to show me a misplaced
kindness. Let me be the food of beasts that I may come to God. I am his wheat,
and I shall be ground by the teeth of beasts, that I may become Christ’s pure
bread.
I
would rather that you coaxed the beasts to become my tomb and to leave no scrap
of me behind; then when I have died I will be a burden to no one. I shall be a
true disciple of Christ when the world no longer sees my body. Pray to Christ
for me that by these means I may become a sacrifice to God. I do not give you
orders like Peter and Paul. They were apostles, I am a condemned criminal; they
were free, I am still a slave. But if I suffer, I shall become the freedman of
Jesus Christ and I shall rise again to freedom in him.
Now as
a prisoner I am learning to give up my own wishes. All the way from Syria to
Rome I am fighting wild beasts, by land and by sea, by day and by night,
chained as I am to ten leopards, I mean the detachment of soldiers who guard
me; the better you treat them, the worse they become. I am more and more
trained in discipleship by their ill usage of me, but I am not
therefore justified. How happy I will be with the beasts which are
prepared for me! I hope that they will make short work of me. I shall even coax
them to devour me quickly and not to be afraid of touching me, as sometimes
happens; in fact, if they hold back, I shall force them to it. Bear with me,
for I know what is good for me. Now I am beginning to be a disciple. May
nothing visible or invisible rob me of my prize, which is Jesus Christ! The
fire, the cross, packs of wild beasts, lacerations, rendings, wrenching of
bones, mangling of limbs, crushing of the whole body, the horrible tortures of
the devil – let all these things come upon me, if only I may gain Jesus
Christ!
Source:
The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Photo Credit Trey Ratcliff
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