Remember the martyrs, Church Fathers: Day 355

Remember the martyrs

Marble statues don’t commemorate the deeds of the martyrs, says the historian Eusebius of Caesarea in his introduction to a book about the martyrs of Pal­estine, but the faith they died for does. Marble statues are lifeless, whereas the martyrs live forever in heaven.

The holy Martyrs of God loved our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and God supreme and sovereign of all, more than themselves and their own lives. They were dragged forward to the conflict for the sake of religion, and rendered glorious by the martyrdom of confession.

They preferred a horrible death to a temporary life, and were crowned with all the victories of virtue, and offered to the Most High and supreme God the glory of their wonderful victory, because they had their conversation in heaven, and walked with him who gave victory to their testimony. They offered up glory, and honor, and majesty to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Moreover, the souls of the martyrs, being worthy of the Kingdom of heaven, are in honor together with the company of the prophets and Apostles.

Since we stand in need of the aid of their prayers, and have been also charged in the book of the Apostles, that we should be partakers in the remembrance of the saints, let us also be partakers with them. We shall describe their battles against sin, which have always been spread by the mouths of those believers who were ac­quainted with them. Their praises have not been commemorated by monuments of stone, or by statues decorated with painting and colors and resemblances of earthly things without life, but by the word of truth spoken before God. And the deeds we have seen with our own eyes also bear witness.

–Eusebius, On the Martyrs of Palestine

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Have I asked for the prayers of the martyrs recently?

Are there particular martyrs whose stories seem to fit my own difficulties?

CLOSING PRAYER

Holy martyrs, immovable towers that protect all Christians, glorious friends of the Son of God, pray to him to turn aside the punishments I deserve.

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