Persecution

This past week we celebrated the Memorial of St. Sebastian, and early martyr of the Church. In the Office of Readings for the day St. Ambrose speaks of this great saint. He says

Take the example of the martyr Sebastian, whose birthday in glory we celebrate today. He was a native of Milan. At a time when persecution either had ceased or had not yet begun or was of a milder kind, he realized that there was only slight, if any, opportunity for suffering. He set out for Rome, where bitter persecutions were raging because of the fervor of the Christians. There he endured suffering; there he gained his crown. He went to the city as a stranger and there established a home of undying glory. If there had been only one persecutor, he would not have gained the martyr's crown.

The persecutors who are visible are not the only ones. There are also invisible persecutors, much greater in number. This is more serious. Like a king bent on persecution, sending orders to persecute to his many agents, and establishing different persecutors in each city or province, the devil directs his many servants in their work of persecution, whether in public or in the souls of individuals. Of this kind of persecution Scripture says: All who wish to live a holy life in Christ Jesus suffer persecution. "All" suffer persecution; there is no exception. Who can claim exemption if the Lord Himself endured the testing of persecution? How many there are today who are secret martyrs for Christ, giving testimony to Jesus as Lord!

I find the second paragraph to be very enlightening. We are all persecuted by the evil one, so, like St. Sebastian, let us put our trust in the Lord and rely upon Him so that we might endure with faith and courage the persecution that comes our way.