Someone called a talk show host and asked what she could do to stop eating so much. The talk show host said it all depended on how much she was willing to suffer for the end results.
You think back on the Early Christians and how they were willing AND able to suffer much for what they believed in when it came to their Faith. I imagine they were pretty strong people in all aspects of their life, too. I don't think you can suddenly be martyr material if you don't have some discipline in your every day life and actions.
In the years that followed our first Christians, we have built a seemingly large religion but, behind the outward appearance, we have so many divisions. The Catholic vote put an adamant anti-life candidate into the White House. If so many Catholics weren't willing to stand up for the unseen, unborn, how will they stand up for a Faith and God they have to trust is there even without the physical appearance? How much are they willing to SUFFER for their Faith?
According to the lastest statistics, we are just about even in population when it comes to the Muslim Faith. In a few years, it is estimated that the Muslims will far exceed the Catholic population. The reason? Muslims aren't afraid to suffer for what they believe in. They aren't afraid to bring children into the world. It is said that the birth of a child is God's renewed interest in the world or something to that effect.
We had some Catholic friends who married about the same time we did and they were proud of the fact that they WOULD use birth control and that no 'guy wearing a dress in Rome' was going to tell them what they could or could not do. Not to be judgmental, but they didn't come across as martyr material!
Yes, we have programs in our Church to promote our Faith but it seems to be that raising children in our Faith will go further in increaing our Church. The Muslims have figured this out and could eventually outnumber us and be a threat to our way of life. They have the suffering down and wouldn't think twice about being a martyr. Meanwhile, I have met too many Catholics who limit their families in order to provide all the material things they want for their children.
It will be an interesting Judgement Day when we find out how many children we should have had and how they would have impacted the world.
