Martyrdom In Daily Life

They are trying to pressure me at work to fit a client in on Saturday. The only space to take her in would require me to give up my lunch break and prayer time. I will not do that. This makes me uncomfortable, as did kneeling for Communion yesterday, knowing my pastor might make me stand. I also need to let them know that my status regarding Covid vaccination is not to be discussed with anyone. If anyone asks, no answer is to be given. If I choose to make it known, that is my privilege alone. This makes me uncomfortable, too. But discomfort is the order of the day at this point. Necessary discomfort.

The Apostles were under tremendous pressure to just conform a bit with society. Go ahead and preach, but don’t use that name. Don’t bring up resurrection. Don’t remind us that we have His blood on our hands. If you do what we ask, then the pressure will relax, and you can go on with your lives. They refused and instead accepted and embraced the suffering that comes with serving Christ. And so do I, by God's grace alone.

I do not doubt that my inflexibility sometimes aggravates and confuses the salon's owners, but others, like my coworkers, see it positively and want to make similar choices.

As I sit writing this after Mass in my parish, the sun shines through the red panes of stained glass nearest my pew. The red reminds me of martyrdom, the soft martyrdom that I am being called to embrace. The light on my face is warm, reminding me that this martyrdom is a gift. The red light reflects off the inner rim of my sunglasses, reminding me that seeing these choices as sacrifices is itself a choice. I choose to wear these glasses because I have a choice about how I see, following Jesus' call to slow down.

As I pray the Glory Be after one of the Psalms from Lauds (Morning Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours), and I bow, I pass from the red light through the green light of other panels of glass. Green is the liturgical color representing hope and growth. My little, seemingly insignificant martyrdom brings hope to others. My willingness to suffer in following Jesus brings me hope. It drives away doubt and anxiety. Martyrdom brings growth for the martyr, those who see the martyr's example, and the Church for which the martyr dies.

Human-Written, AI Spell-Checvked 5/27/21 AD

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