Who will be the next American martyrs?

The recent headlines flooding news media can cause anxiety or fear within an individual. They also serve as a pointing arrow warning all of us what is coming next. Destruction of statues, the calls for “Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends” to come down (statement by Shaun King), and calling honoring Jesus and his mother “white supremacy” is only a precursor to what we are facing.

I have said for years that America will undergo severe persecution and the day is here. Recently, the State of Mississippi removed the Confederate flag from their state flag because it was seen as racist and hate. Christianity will soon be declared as a hate religion and be illegal. The Bible will be banned from being printed and owned because it will be declared “racist” and “promoting slavery”.

Tertullian once said “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Sadly, the path our country is going will produce more seeds…more blood….for the Church. The largest question is are you ready and prepared to take a stand for Christ? Are you ready and willing to take a stand for the One who died for you?”

Pope Benedict XVI wrote an apostolic letter in which he addressed martyrdom. “The martyrs of the past and those of our time gave and give life freely and consciously in a supreme act of love, witnessing to their faithfulness to Christ, to the gospel and to the Church.”

A martyr must be ready for martyrdom and freely accept the shedding of blood, just as Christ did on the Cross. Christ was not an unwilling victim, but a willing sacrificial lamb. Are you ready to suffer for Christ when it becomes illegal to attend Mass?

If you still do not think that persecution is possible or even presently occurring, let’s take a look at what the last several months have given us. Masses have been canceled because the government closed them and declared that they were not “essential services”. Statues of the The Blessed Mother and Canonized Saints, such as Saint Junipero Serra, had their statues vandalized and destroyed.  Shaun King is now beginning the pathway to persecution by inciting others to label Christianity as white supremist and a hate group. If you do not think the rantings on social media about Christianity being white supremacy then take a look at how many likes he received for his tweet. The thousands of people who liked his tweet, thus agreeing with it, shows that we are facing an unprecedented time in American history of Christian persecution. 

How strong is your faith? Do you really know what the Bible says and what it teaches? Would you be able to use the teachings of scripture, even the Catechism, as a source of hope and encouragement when you cannot open it up and read it because they’re illegal? Would you willingly hand law enforcement your Catechism, Bible, and rosary? As Christians, we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), we will overcome the world and have victory (I John 5:4), and we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Most Christians in America have never faced anywhere close to what other countries around the world experience when it comes to religious persecution. However, that is changing and it is changing quickly. Intolerant interpretations of Islam and other believes combined with regimes that are determined to suppress freedom of thought, speech, and worship are the dangerous factors that join forces to create a severely persecuted society. Those are forming quickly in the United States.

How strong is your faith? When it is sifted, will it still stand? Will you be one to stand up and oppose those trying to destroy the faith, destroy freedom of religion, and maintain a sense of fear in this country? Will you be one to go the distance and fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith? (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Now, more than ever, we must resolve to make prayer and our faith the most important thing in our lives. If your faith and relationship with Christ is not your most valuable relationship then the greater persecution coming will sift you even more. Now is the time to make Christ the priority just as He made us the priority by dying for us. What are you willing to give for Christ?