The Greek root of the English word “martyr” is “martyrion” or “witness” in the legal sense. Most Protestants shy away from the concept of martyrs, believing it is some kind of Roman Catholic heresy – it isn’t. Jerome and Gregory wrote about it in the fourth century, and an early, Irish homily (the “Cambrai Homily[1]”) from the seventh century divides martyrs into three colors – Red, White and Green.
Jesus refers to martyrdom in his call to us. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Most of us modern folks tend to trivialize Jesus’ call. I am reminded of a plain-spoken, truth-telling vestry member who calmed down a vestry wrapped up in the importance of a small thing by telling them, “That’s about as important as pimples on prom night.” When we wrestle with truly important stuff, we leave the pimples behind and die a death daily while we minister to the needs of those who are enemies to the good news of Christ. We die every day to our personal dreams, desires, hopes and plans.
Being a witness to Christ is far more than denying oneself. It is getting our personal agenda out of the way and asking that we can be part of God’s plan for this day, this world, and the people around us. The apostle Paul said that it is we who no longer live, but Christ who lives through us. Beyond our attempts to earn money and provide for our families in this world, those who deny themselves and die to self, also must die to the world. In this death, we lose our identity, our rights, our possessions. This is why St. Francis gave up all worldly possessions even though he came from a wealthy family. This is not easy stuff.
We mark the different colors of martyrdom when we observe a particular saint or feast day. Here are the colors.
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- Red is for bloodshed. For those who die sudden, violent deaths while showing love for God AND their enemies
- Green is for obedience. For those who hear God’s call, who deny themselves daily and take up the crosses they have been given to bear.
- White is for death to the world. For those who have undergone spiritual transformation through a retreat, an epiphany or over the long course of their life.
The question for you every day is, which color will you choose today?
[1] https://omniumsanctorumhiberniae.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-three-kinds-of-martyrdom-from.html