Fascinated With Death: Martyrdom

What enters your mind when you think of Martyrdom? That may have a lot to do with how you grew up, the culture you were raised in or even the faith group you belong to. Many in the west view martyrdom in a very literal way. They view it in the slim view of death. Martyrdom is seen as giving up ones life for the faith. Now, it is true that when one dies for their faith, they are a martyr. But there is a side to martyrdom that we never really discuss that was a huge part of Celtic Christianity, and is still practiced in the modern Celtic traditions today.

History of Martyrdom

The word “martyr” originally derived from the “Greek word martus- a witness who testifies to a fact of which he has knowledge from personal observation.” In Christian usage this was at first applied to the apostles, who witnessed firsthand the life of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. What we don’t see in this first definition is any indication of death. This was applied later by the Catholic Church to mean 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.’” (CCC 2473)

We always speak of martyrdom in terms of death, but we rarely discuss it in terms of life. One can be a martyr if they die for Christ, but one can also live for Christ. We do not really discuss or even understand living martyrdom because we often do not discuss or understand the life of Christ. Matthew Fox has stated that western churches are fascinated with death, and he has a point. We only discuss martyrdom in terms of death and we only discuss Jesus in terms of His death. But having a theology of death causes us to lose sight of half of the Christian gospel message.

Jesus as a Living Martyr

We often forget in the shadow of the cross that Jesus lived a life. The things He did in that lifetime are just as important as his horrific death and resurrection. This part of Christology could be called the active obedience of Christ. How Christ lived His life made Him the candidate to bring salvation. This comprises the total sum of Jesus’ actions on earth. Without His active obedience, His sacrifice would have been for nothing. You see, before Jesus could die for us, He lived for us. Jesus showed us the way to live in an imperfect world. Jesus sacrificed heaven to live for us, how is that not martyrdom?

Imagine what the world would be like if we instead traded our fascination with death for a life of active obedience. Think of the beauty of relationship and harmony if we would be willing to sacrifice a lifetime to service instead of a life. This concept is not a new one. In the early Celtic churches in Ireland and Wales martyrdom was preached upon in terms of different types. Depending on the type of sacrifice given for Christ in one’s journey for Christ it was considered a Green, White or Red Martyrdom.

Green, White and Red Martyrdom

White Martyrdom consists of a person giving up everything they love for the cause of Christ, but not dying. This would be considered for lives lived like Mother Theresa, who abandoned lives of comfort to serve others for Christ. When we view a life lived in service, we often forget that the person that is being the hands and feet of Christ has given up a life of comfort. That is a sacrifice that should truly be honored. It is a death to one’s desire for the love of Christ and it deserves the mantle of a martyr.

Green Martyrdom is a more specific type of sacrifice which focuses on extreme penance and fasting out of the love one has for Christ. This was a type of martyrdom introduced in Ireland from the deserts of Egypt. The Desert Fathers heavily influenced the Irish monasticism and belief. This was the example many Irish and Welsh monks took, seeking extreme solitude.

And then there is Red Martyrdom of which we are familiar with. This occurs when one gives their physical life, bearing witness until they die.

Don’t Just Die for Christ, Live for Him!

These could be considered three equal paths of love. All three have their place in the Christian faith. I would ask the reader this question; Would you be willing to give up your comforts, your home or even your life for the love of Christ and Gods Creation? We can do so much more for Jesus than die: We can Live!