Jesus’s enemies often threatened to arrest and kill him. He admonishes his disciples“… whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it” (Matt 10:38-39).
German pastor, theologian, conspirator, and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer challenged the churches to reject the Reich. Most didn’t. A pacifist, he struggled with his role to remove Hitler. Bonhoeffer was found out, imprisoned, and executed a couple of weeks prior to the end of the war. Bonhoeffer must have prayed from his favorite song book, “Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. For you, O Lord, you are my hope, my trust.” (vs. 4-5).
I met Maria Cristina Gomez during a visit to El Salvador in the mid 1980’s. I served as a mission interpreter for Alfalit Latinoamericano, a Christian literacy and grass-roots community development ministry. Maria was a teacher at a Baptist school in her war torn country. She directed Alfalit’s women’s program and was a leader of a teacher’s union. One day, heavily armed men burst into her classroom and dragged her away, while her students watched in horror. The next day, her body was found on a trash heap. As disciples of Christ are we able to witness for Him, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice? When we bear witness for Christ to others, we too are martyrs, because witnessing is martyrdom, no matter the cost. Whenever Maria’s name and other martyrs are remembered, their communities shout in solidarity, "Maria! Presente!" Maria! Present! because Maria is indeed present with us and the Resurrected Christ.
Prayer: Jesus, what am I willing to die for, in order to live with you? May I trust you as life-giver, “For you, O Lord, you are my hope, my trust.” (v. 5). Amen.
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