Hi folks,
considering some recent devellopements especially in Europe (UK!) but also in America I am especting to be still alive (I’m 17) when it might be possible again in the West to honour God’s name through martyrdom.
That’s o.k. for me (I even kinda desiring it (sure place in heaven, why not).
Easy to say now, but the way to really stand firm in the hour of trial is to develop the life of Christ here and now as much as you can, loving God and loving your neighbor and seeking God as much as you can. This will over time draw you to practice self-denial, mortification and fasting to renounce the flesh. The one who is faithful in the small things they can do will be faithful when called to endure great trials like martyrdom or the loss of a family in a car accident, or receiving a severe disease, or any number of other awful things that can happen.
Focus on living your life for God now and develop all the virtues through prayer and effort. This will require sacrifice but you will only be able to offer big sacrifices if you can first offer small sacrifices. Small sacrifices can often feel hard to make, very hard, and attempting these suddenly brings our limits right up in front of our noses. But we only need to develop the life in Christ one step at a time; we aren’t required to be anything more than babies now while we are babies. We are required to give God as much as we can, and rely on Him prayerfully to develop in us the rest of what He desires us to be.
This is the way to prepare for martyrdom or anything in life in the way God wants you to. Seek Him, pray that He develop in you the virtues and pray this systematically and constantly, and practice self-denial and sacrifice in small things as you feel the Spirit leading you.
We need to draw near God as much as we can where we are so that we will stand firm to the end.
But what to do if they say: Leave your faith / convert to religion xy (e.g. islam), or we’ll kill your family, or even thousends of people if you don’t apostize / convert.
What to do in this case?
You stand firm in your faith no matter what. Trust in God. He would protect your family or let them die for Him depending on His will. Their fate would be in His hands, just as yours is. The same with the thousands of people; Islamists would not be in control of their fate. God alone would be, for He controls all things with omnipotent power.
There is no excuse good enough to justify breaking the First Commandment.
