Martyr

[Dream]

I've always been taught that Catholics who are martyred for their beliefs will make it into heaven. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

So if I were to go to one of the Islamic extremist areas of the world and start publically praising the Lord until somebody kills me, would that guarentee me a spot in Heaven?

(Just wondering)

 

[Carrye]

I've always been taught that Catholics who are martyred for their beliefs will make it into heaven. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

So if I were to go to one of the Islamic extremist areas of the world and start publically praising the Lord until somebody kills me, would that guarentee me a spot in Heaven?

(Just wondering)

I hate to say yes when you use the word "guarantee", but I've always been taught that martyrs will be in heaven.

The Church acknowledges a couple of related things:
1) Baptism by Blood. If a person has not been baptized with water and the Trinitarian formula, but has died as a martyr, it is said that he was part of the Church.

2) The Holy Innocents. The babies that were killed by Herod after Christ's birth have a feast day right after Christmas. The Church recognizes that these souls are in heaven.

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

PART 3, SECTION 2 2, CHAPTER 2 2, ARTICLE 8, SUBSECTION 2



II. TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH

2471 Before Pilate, Christ proclaims that he "has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth." 266 The Christian is not to "be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord." 267 In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation, after the example of St. Paul before his judges. We must keep "a clear conscience toward God and toward men." 268



2472 The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known. 269

All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of their word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which they have put on in Baptism and to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit by whom they were strengthened at Confirmation. 270​

2473 Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude. "Let me become the food of the beasts, through whom it will be given me to reach God." 271

2474 The Church has painstakingly collected the records of those who persevered to the end in witnessing to their faith. These are the acts of the Martyrs. They form the archives of truth written in letters of blood:

Neither the pleasures of the world nor the kingdoms of this age will be of any use to me. It is better for me to die [in order to unite myself] to Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. I seek him who died for us; I desire him who rose for us. My birth is approaching. . . 272 I bless you for having judged me worthy from this day and this hour to be counted among your martyrs.... You have kept your promise, God of faithfulness and truth. For this reason and for everything, I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him, who is with you and the Holy Spirit, may glory be given to you, now and in the ages to come. Amen. 273

​

 

[ZooMom]

Hmm. Post disappeared... *shrug* I'll ask again.


Is it kosher to actively seek martyrdom? Is it something we should try to bring upon ourselves? Sincerely curious!

Peace be with you!

Sandy

 

[MParedon]

Um, I do NOT know, but my personal idea is that it comes too close to being suicide to actively seek matyrdom.

 

[ZooMom]

That's kinda my thinking too. It also sounds like it would fall under the sin of Pride. I'm thinking there's a world of difference in embracing martyrdom and seeking it out.

 

[Irenaeus]

All of us, to become holy, are entreated to desire a martyrdom - that of taking up your cross and following Jesus - a white martyrdom.

Those who are called to give their lives in red martyrdom are precisely that; they are called. They give heroic witness to the truth, with their blood.

Preaching the gospel in certain countries means death. This does not mean you shout at the top of your lungs to draw your persecutors; this means that if the time should come that you are apprehended, and you must spill your blood for the truth, by the grace and strength that God gives...so be it.

My take on it..I agree a little bit with MParedon, though I am hesitant to call it suicide when someone actively seeks it, Sis. St. Teresa of Avila saught it when she was young, and even St. Therese of Lisieux did. Heck, even St. Francis of Assisi did, walking around in Muslim occupied lands, preaching the gospel. However, all these saints acknowledged that even though they earnestly desired the crown of martyrdom, it was not their calling, and that the Lord had other works for them to do.

I'm sure our Lord is more pleased by what he wills us to do, than what we will to do of our own will, however great. One may please the Lord best by penances, for that is what the Lord wills...others by aiding the poor. It depends what our apostolate and vocation is. All do not operate the same in the Body of Christ, nor do we all receive the exact same crowns in glory.

 

[Carrye]

Is it kosher to actively seek martyrdom? Is it something we should try to bring upon ourselves?

What Irenaeus said. No, I don't think we should actively seek it. Martyrdom is also thought to be (as the quote from the CCC that Aaron cited) a particular task given by God. It is something that we accept rather than choose or seek.

 

[ZooMom]

Thanks, Irenaeus and Carrie. Perhaps I should clarify that by 'seeking' I don't mean simply desiring and praying for a martyr's crown, I mean deliberately placing oneself in harm's way for the sole purpose of being killed for one's faith. Does that qualify as martyrdom?

 

[Carrye]

Thanks, Irenaeus and Carrie. Perhaps I should clarify that by 'seeking' I don't mean simply desiring and praying for a martyr's crown, I mean deliberately placing oneself in harm's way for the sole purpose of being killed for one's faith. Does that qualify as martyrdom?

That was the definition I understood in your earlier post, and that was why I was hesitant to give a definitive "yes" answer to the OP. It's one thing to pray for the grace of martyrdom, and another to run out in front of a truck carrying Islamic extremists, even if you are preaching the Gospel while doing it.

 

[ZooMom]

That was the definition I understood in your earlier post, and that was why I was hesitant to give a definitive "yes" answer to the OP. It's one thing to pray for the grace of martyrdom, and another to run out in front of a truck carrying Islamic extremists, even if you are preaching the Gospel while doing it.

Yep. That's the page I'm on.

 

[gzt]

The last temptation is the greatest treason:
To do the right deed for the wrong reason.