Faith of the martyrs.

I found this on the Catholic Military website. It's part of a story related to a reporter's visit to his son's unit there. This isn't so much a Catholic rant, it's something I'm turning around in my own mind. Basically I wonder if our moral decline and current culture of corruption aren't tied into the ease with which we put on and take off our religious beliefs. One of my recent coworkers related a tale of how he'd let his wife know his priorities, "I can get another wife or another church, good dogs are hard to find." Yeah, he spent some time sleeping on the couch after that also.

But how many of us would honestly identify with the woman in this story? I know I would have a difficult time.

"........As Fr. Bautista continued speaking with us, he described the fascinating story of a young Muslim woman who was entering the Church under his guidance through the RCIA process. Her story was moving. While working with Americans, this woman, who must remain anonymous, was touched deeply when she realized that the U.S. medical personnel not only treated wounded Americans and Iraqi civilians, but also treated wounded enemy combatants, including one who was known for having killed U.S. Marines. As she put it, “This cannot happen with us.”

This dramatic extension of mercy even to enemy soldiers caused her to take the next cautious step. She asked Father Bautista to “tell me more about Jesus.” As Father described Jesus and his life in the Gospels, one thing stood out among the rest for the Muslim woman he called “Fatima” (not her real name) and that was how kindly Jesus had related to, as she put it, “the two Mary’s.” Fatima was moved to see how Jesus deeply loved Mary, his mother, who was sinless, but also how Jesus deeply loved Mary Magdalene, who was “a great sinner.” As these discussions continued, Fatima reached a point where she said to Father Bautista, “I want to become a Christian.”

Since Father Bautista sees himself as a chaplain for all troops, not just Catholics, he decided to introduce Fatima to other chaplains from Protestant and Orthodox backgrounds. After some time had passed, Fatima returned to Father Bautista and said, “I want to become a Catholic like you.” When Father asked her the reason for her decision, she said, “You were the only one who told me about the other Christians, so you left me free to decide for myself. That’s how I knew this was the right decision.”

As their catechetical lessons developed over time, Fatima’s family discovered her plan and was warned sternly by her father that if she continued on this path, she would be disowned by the entire family and would never have contact with them again. At this point, Father Bautista became concerned for Fatima’s well-being and cautioned her to look carefully at the consequences of her decision and to think seriously before continuing her path into the Church.

Fatima paused for a moment and then looking intently at Father Bautista asked, “Do you give up so easily on Jesus?”......... "

I recall hearing of the martyr's lives when I was a kid going to Our Lady of Perpetual Payments. How facing certain death they'd nevertheless keep their faith. Now contrast that with the story a couple of years back where a Fox News photographer and his assistant were kidnapped by the terrrorists in Iraq and forced to convert to Islam. Maybe these two guys were athiests or agnostics. Maybe the whole deal meant little to them, just a way to safely get home. In all honesty, who amongst us wouldn't jump at the chance in the same circumstances? With a wife and three little ones waiting for me I know I would. Damned straight!

But have we lost some of our soul in being so easily led from sticking to what we profess to believe? I wondered that at the time of the photographer's incident. I wonder about it after reading this story.