"Oh, that I might be found worthy of martyrdom!"

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

"Oh, that I might be found worthy of martyrdom!"

"Oh, that I might be found worthy of martyrdom!" | From the Introduction to The Red Book of Chinese Martyrs | Gerolamo Fazzini | Ignatius Insight

In a historic moment like the present, when the eyes of the West are turned toward gigantic China, viewed both as a formidable economic rival and as a promising future market, what point is there in drawing attention to stories of Christian persecution that, for the most part, took place decades ago during the darkest days of Maoism? Doesn't that run the risk of going against the mainstream and, ultimately, of being anachronistic? This sense of "disorientation" might increase as the reader goes on to encounter a spirituality seemingly light-years away from that of present-day Western believers. Gertrude Li, for example, a young Chinese laywoman whose experience of persecution is narrated in the fourth chapter of this volume, expresses herself in a letter from February 1952 in language that today we might find somewhat bewildering, if not disturbing: "It pleases God to water his harvest with the blood of martyrs. Oh, that I might be found worthy of martyrdom!"

We are nevertheless convinced—for reasons to be set forth shortly—that this book will prove to be invaluable for those who read it, believers and unbelievers alike: provided that they are able to consider the events narrated in these accounts carefully, with open hearts and without prejudices. On the one hand, the testimonies collected here are tragically eloquent documents of remarkable historical value; on the other hand, they are spiritual reading of the highest quality. Without fear of rhetorical exaggeration, we do not hesitate to describe them as authentic jewels.