Many Kinds of Martyrdom [St Ambrose]

As there are many kinds of persecution, so there are many kinds of martyrdom. Every day you are witnesses to Christ. You were tempted by the spirit of fornication, but feared the coming judgment of Christ and did not want your purity of mind and body to be defiled: you are a martyr of Christ. You were tempted by the spirit of avarice to seize the property of a child and violate the rights of a defenseless widow, but remembered God’s law and saw your duty to give help, not act unjustly: you are a witness to Christ. Christ wants witnesses like this to stand ready, as Scripture says: Do justice for the orphan and defend the widow. You were tempted by the spirit of pride but saw the poor and needy and looked with loving compassion on them, and loved humility rather than arrogance: you are a witness to Christ. What is more, your witness was not in word only but also in deed.



Who can give greater witness than one who acknowledges that the Lord Jesus has come in the flesh and keeps the commandments of the Gospel? One who hears but does not act, denies Christ. Even if he acknowledges him by his words, he denies him by his deeds. How many will say to Christ: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy and cast out devils and work many miracles, all in your name? On that day he will say to them: Depart form me, all you evildoers. The true witness is one who bears witness to the commandments of the Lord Jesus and supports that witness by deeds.

How many hidden martyrs there are, bearing witness to Christ each day and acknowledging Jesus as Lord! The Apostle knew this kind of martyrdom, this faithful witness to Christ. This is our boast, he said, the witness of our conscience. How many have borne witness in public but denied it in private! Do not believe every spirit, he said, but know from their fruits whom you should believe. Be faithful and courageous when you are persecuted within, so that you may win approval when you are persecuted in public.

Even in those unseen persecutions there are kings and governors, judges with terrible power. You have an example in the temptation endured by the Lord. In another place we read: Do not be king in your mortal body. You see the kings whom you are made to stand, those who sit in judgment over sinners, where sin is in control. There are as many kings as there are sins and vices; it is before these kings that we are led and before we stand. These kings have their thrones in many hearts. But if anyone acknowledged Christ, he immediately makes a prisoner of this kind of king and casts down from the throne of his own heart. How shall the devil maintain his throne in one who builds a throne for Christ in his heart?

– St. Ambrose, Commentary on Psalm 118
(Sermo 20, 47-50: CSEL 62, 467-469);
cf. Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings (October 9)
See also: Transitus: Our Name (The Last Martyrdom)
http://www.thelastmartyrdom.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=153

* Image by Jeremy Cole Alexander, Transitus Member

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