An open letter to the Martyrs of Christendom whose names are forgotten to history.
Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ-
It is with a heavy heart that I write this to you. It seems that, as the years turned to decades, decades to centuries, and centuries to millennia, that many have forgotten you. Certainly, it would be foolhardy to think that everyone who wears a martyr's crown would have their name written down anywhere on Earth, so I really shouldn't think that your individual names would be available.
Actually, I don't think that at all. When I say that many have forgotten you, I don't mean you as individuals. Those who remember you as individuals have hopefully seen you adorned with your victorious crown granted to those who refuse to abandon Christ in the face of certain, painful, violent death. When I say many have forgotten you, I don't mean all that you have left behind to those who survived you, and to those who weren't martyrs who lived to pass it on to us throughout history, bequeathing to us today the precious gift Christ left us through His Apostles. I mean, we have forgotten you, how you had to live, what you had to go through just to worship, what technology you did not have.
In my comfort, I have forgotten how you toiled for hours throughout all seasons and weather conditions not for your living, but your survival.
In my comfort, I have forgotten how my struggles of fasting do not compare to your struggles with hunger.
In my knowledge, things I take for granted like reading and writing were unattainable goals to many of you.
When I took my freedom too far, I became a slave to my passions; when you were enslaved by evil overlords, Christ kept you free.
I write this letter to you because recent worldly events left historical records of new Martyrs, men who were murdered because they would not renounce Christ, even asking for His mercy and help when being tortuously murdered. They did not waiver in their faith, even knowing that they would be killed just for believing that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and did not betray what I am certain is the terror they felt. Then again, neither did you.
One difference is this; in at least one instance, we know the names of almost two dozen men martyred on the shores of the Mediterranean. Their names are all over something we call the internet, which is a way to communicate globally in an instant. If one knows how to look, and cares to, they can find those names; I did.
Two thousand years between Christ and today have changed little. In many parts of the world, you are singled out for execution for professing Jesus. They were doing that in your time, also. What bothers me now is how not even methods have changed. They still crucify Christians in the lands where Christianity began. Sometimes, like the pagans of old, they are beheaded. Of course, the end result is the same.
We who do not suffer physical cruelty like you did and those new Martyrs today did likely do experience some mocking and marginalization. One favorite line of some non believers is "So many Christians, not enough lions". What's most sad to me is that if that they seem to forget that a lion will get hungry again, and if a Christian isn't around, a non believer will taste just fine. Such is the nature of that beast.
In closing, I want to give you proper thanks both in my prayers, but more importantly, in my heart, because while some of your names have been forgotten, your sacrifice is not. When we hear that bell on Sunday Morning calling us to the Kingdom, we need to remember just what you went through to properly worship Christ and remember His sacrifice, and how what you sacrificed to honor Christ would be unthinkable today. That would be too uncomfortable for many of us.
Then again, who are we to know discomfort compared to you? We are no one to know that; there are almost two dozen new martyrs who do.
Please pray for us, and know that we remember what you sacrificed for us, also.
In Peace and Prayer-
Yours in Christ-
Me.
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