Is it wrong to pray for martyrdom?

  • Thread starter Thread starter marian_love
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

marian_love

Guest
I pray numerous times throughout the day. I have an alarm set so that I can pray the Divine Office. I have a 1925 copy of “Blessed Be God” that is full of bookmarks for daily and evening prayers. I noticed that there was a “Let’s Empty Purgatory” page…so I made another on Facebook so I may pray souls out faster.

Anyway, my point is I pray a lot. A few weeks ago I felt a conviction to pray for martydom. It happened directly after praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3pm. I prayed:

“JESUS…IF IT BE YOUR WILL, LET ME DIE FOR YOU AS YOU DIED FOR ME. LET ME BE A MARYTR. AMEN”.

I now pray this throughout the day. I know that there are prayers to St. Joseph for a “happy” death…but is what I am doing wrong?
 
My advice is to never ask for the Cross. The Lord Himself gave us the model for all future prayers, and in the Lord’s prayer we have worship, petition, intercession, but not one word on suffering, on death, on tribulation…

The Lord wanted us to “ask, that our joy may be made full”, and he told us to “take up our cross”, the one we don’t choose.

I am not saying that you are doing something wrong. All I would advice is to be more humble onto the presence and will of God, realizing perhaps that not much would be added to His ineffable glory and to the good of souls through your martyrdom, while much more good He will accomplish through your life in Christ.

St. Antony of Padova had an intense longing for martyrdom, and yet the Lord had a completely different ministry in mind for him. Perhaps you will find his life very inspirational.

Remember also that the desire for a glorious death or to perform glorious deeds is a very subtle form of temptation. Why despise a sorrowful, hidden death? So many of our brothers die unnoticed…why desire anything more than a peaceful death…one that may not greatly hurt our loved ones…remember that our Pastor, St. Peter, asked to be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to die like the Lord…

Proper spiritual direction from your confessor on this matter will allow you to increase in your spiritual life. Your commitment to prayer is very commendable, but have you discussed it with your confessor? Everything in our lives needs to be ordered according to our role in the world, and proper spiritual direction will be very helpful.
 
Thank you so much for your answer. I have no confessor…because I am not a confirmed Catholic. I do, however, have a parish priest and several friends at the local monastery. I will look into the Saint you spoke of as well. Once again, thank you for taking the time out to answer my question. 🙂
 
Is it wrong to pray for martyrdom?

Hmmm. I suppose it might be good to start with the question, “why pray for martyrdom?”

It may give a person a sense of real dedication to Jesus by praying for the opportunity to make the ultimate sacrifice. However, there is no doubt that Jesus loves you unconditionally without praying for martyrdom. Your faith has already saved you. So, in that sense, the prayer is unnecessary unless you believe that Jesus will not love you without such a prayer.

In the case that you believe that Jesus will not love you without such a prayer, then it might be best to pray for the ability to love and accept yourself as God loves and accepts you. Forgive yourself, as God forgives you. God loves and forgives you without condition, just as God loves and forgives all others in the world, and asks us to do the same. If this is an issue for you, it would probably be helpful to spend some time on this aspect of faith.

Jesus does not wish us to be harmed. Our “daily bread” should certainly include all we need for health and well-being. We pray to “not be led into temptation”, which my understanding of original language is to not be “subjected to the test” . Sure, we may be “subjected to the test” anyway, because we don’t know what life may bring, but I would think that a prayer for martyrdom is a prayer that we be subject to the test, which would rather negate the Lord’s prayer!

That’s my take. I wouldn’t pray for martyrdom. But God understands and forgives you if you pray for martyrdom.

Oops. Looks like R C covered it while I was writing. So I repeat, I guess.
 
JESUS…IF IT BE YOUR WILL, LET ME DIE FOR YOU AS YOU DIED FOR ME.
Click to expand...
I think it pretty much boils down to what God wills. Don’t reject martyrdom, but I’m not sure I’d ask for it either. Besides, you could martyr yourself on a day to day basis by speaking out the Gospel and living your life according to Christ’s model. If anything, I think this is harder because it is not a one-time martyrdom.
 
I would say that it is not right to pray for martyrdom. I might be misunderstanding this, but, in order to be martyred, wouldn’t there have to be somebody to kill you? Therefore, by praying for martyrdom, it seems like you are praying for somebody to commit a grave sin by killing you, and that does not seem to be the right thing to do.
 
ccmnxc said:
I think it pretty much boils down to what God wills. Don’t reject martyrdom, but I’m not sure I’d ask for it either. Besides, you could martyr yourself on a day to day basis by speaking out the Gospel and living your life according to Christ’s model. If anything, I think this is harder because it is not a one-time martyrdom.
Click to expand...
This.

Everytime we deny our earthly desires and choose God’s will, its like you die a little inside. Which is a good kind of dying inside, because youre detaching yourself from material goods and your will.
 
Thanks everyone for your answers and (name removed by moderator)ut. 🙂
 
CrimsonThorn said:
Everytime we deny our earthly desires and choose God’s will, its like you die a little inside. Which is a good kind of dying inside, because youre detaching yourself from material goods and your will.
Click to expand...
Great way of putting it.
 
There is nothing wrong with this. Quite the opposite actually. That you Love God so much that you would lay down your life for him is a sign that you are becoming quite Catholic. Indeed, we call the priests in the Church “white martyrs” because they have so given their life to the church. Christ calls us all to martyrdom of some kind. Some, like the early Christians, are persecuted and killed while others give their life to God everyday until they die of old age.

In your case I would bet that your martyrdom is experienced in your marriage and in your motherhood. Simple things such as washing clothes and preparing dinner instead of watching TV are valid expressions of this prayer for martyrdom (although I am sure you can come up with better examples).
 
I think that I pray for martyrdom as a way to sacrifice myself for God. Maybe like penance. I see it as a act of charity.

I pray as an act of charity.
I do good deeds out of charity.
If I died for God it would be out of charity.
 
sllhouette said:
There is nothing wrong with this. Quite the opposite actually. That you Love God so much that you would lay down your life for him is a sign that you are becoming quite Catholic. Indeed, we call the priests in the Church “white martyrs” because they have so given their life to the church. Christ calls us all to martyrdom of some kind. Some, like the early Christians, are persecuted and killed while others give their life to God everyday until they die of old age.

In your case I would bet that your martyrdom is experienced in your marriage and in your motherhood. Simple things such as washing clothes and preparing dinner instead of watching TV are valid expressions of this prayer for martyrdom (although I am sure you can come up with better examples).
Click to expand...
Thank you. Best answer by far! 🙂
 
sllhouette said:
There is nothing wrong with this. Quite the opposite actually. That you Love God so much that you would lay down your life for him is a sign that you are becoming quite Catholic. Indeed, we call the priests in the Church “white martyrs” because they have so given their life to the church. Christ calls us all to martyrdom of some kind. Some, like the early Christians, are persecuted and killed while others give their life to God everyday until they die of old age.

In your case I would bet that your martyrdom is experienced in your marriage and in your motherhood. Simple things such as washing clothes and preparing dinner instead of watching TV are valid expressions of this prayer for martyrdom (although I am sure you can come up with better examples).
Click to expand...
We like to think that put to the test we would give our lives gladly for love of God. But would we? We might very likely chicken out, as St. Peter did when he denied Jesus three times. Better not to be in that position by choice. Instead, as Silhouette as expressed, do those daily sacrifices that are so difficult to perform. Putting the needs of others ahead of your own needs on a daily basis is really dying to self each day, and few, if any, are aware of your pain. God sees, and God rewards.
 
I guess the answer would be, don’t pray for something you may not be spiritually ready for.

Should you not be ready for martyrdom, you may fail in the process to uphold your faith and may reject it, as you attempt to save your life.

If Jesus wants you to receive the crown of martyrdom, he’ll begin to prepare you for it, so that you’ll not fail in your defense of your faith.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
I guess the answer would be, don’t pray for something you may not be spiritually ready for.

Should you not be ready for martyrdom, you may fail in the process to uphold your faith and may reject it, as you attempt to save your life.

If Jesus wants you to receive the crown of martyrdom, he’ll begin to prepare you for it, so that you’ll not fail in your defense of your faith.

Jim
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Your sentiment and prayer is beautiful but may I suggest rewording it:

Jesus, Let me make a gift of myself to you, whole and entire. My living and my dying is for you. Your will be done.
 
Lady_Love said:
Your sentiment and prayer is beautiful but may I suggest rewording it:

Jesus, Let me make a gift of myself to you, whole and entire. My living and my dying is for you. Your will be done.
Click to expand...
Thank you…love the suggestion!!
 
Lady_Love said:
Your sentiment and prayer is beautiful but may I suggest rewording it:

Jesus, Let me make a gift of myself to you, whole and entire. My living and my dying is for you. Your will be done.
Click to expand...
I like that. My prayer in the morning is “Lord, may everything I do today be done for Love of you”.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top