The Martyrdom of the Intellectual

     Today, Roman Catholics commemorate the deaths of Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions, who were martyred in a wave of persecution in nineteenth century Vietnam.  I am always stirred by stories of the martyrs, wondering whether I too would prove willing to take a bullet in the head, or something far worse, rather than keep silent about my faith in Jesus.  It requires fortitude, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit; but also, in most cases, perseverance, and that may be a rarer and more precious gift still.  Which reminds me of a passage I read recently in Josef Pieper's Faith, Hope, Love, to the effect that Thomas placed those who sally forth in intellectual battles for the faith alongside the martyrs of blood.  Thomas' reasoning was that those fighters too require great courage.  They must not only preach the truth; they must wade into the marshes where errors lurk, and confront them directly, discovering in them what truth they distort, and separating it from the distortion, and, in general, to use St. Paul's bracing admonition, quitting themselves like men.

     I confess that I'm far from that martyrdom -- and that may explain my sometimes wistful admiration for the martyrs of blood, who seem to have had the more terrible battle, but also the clearer battle.  Meanwhile, I see young apologists for the faith going forth to brave the dragons in their lairs -- may God increase their number!  May the Lord who teaches our fingers to fight bestow upon them his Spirit of wisdom, to thresh out falsehood and unfold the truth.  Give us the signal, unsurpassable Commander!  We cannot each of us fight across the whole of the field, but what we can do, give us the heart to do, that we may bear upon our hearts, if not our limbs, the scars of nobility.

Comments

[Kamilla]

Tony,

This is just what I needed to read today. Thank you so much!

I count it a great privilege to fight alongside you, whatever my efforts are worth.

Kamilla

[Magister Christianus]

This is prayer worth emblazoning upon a shield to be hung above the mantle of every home. Thank you for this.

[Bill R]

Tony, this is bracing. A martyr, after all, is a "witness," a witness to the faith. In fact an understanding of a defense of the faith as a witness, a little martyrdom, gives one courage and strength. It also directs our thoughts away from "What will they think of me?" to "What will He think of me?" The sacrifice we make is the small one of our reputation in the eyes of others.

[Andrew McNabb]

[As I wrote in a personal note to Kamilla after she pointed out this great post...]

As a father of four young children it is my paternal inclination to shield them from “the battle.” I don’t want them to engage in a defense of Truth before the appropriate time, of course, but a reminder of the dignity and the importance inherent in defending the faith and what is good and right is helpful as I send them out into this mixed-up city in this mixed-up world.

Thanks.

[George K.]

Thank your for the great reference this Thanksgiving. I too wonder the degree of mettle I would possess if called upon the way so many have been through the centuries.

[CarolineW]

Nothing makes my day like a new Esolen post. Thanks for the much-needed fortification!