МУЧЕНИЧЕСТВО

Many of the poor people, seeing the misfortunes of others and comparing them with their own, consider their misfortunes to be comparatively grave, then comparing themselves not with others, but with themselves, they feel grief, of course, the more severe, the more previous experience allows them to feel the loss. Likewise, the lack of children experienced from the very beginning is easier than the lack of children that follows many children. It is not the same thing to not receive something or to lose something after receiving it. So, endure everything that happens courageously; this is a martyrdom for you. In fact, not only does it constitute martyrdom when someone receives an order to make a sacrifice and does not make it, and even decides to undergo torture rather than carry it out; but even that makes a martyr when someone, despite the pain that forces him to grumble, decides to endure and not say anything indecent. Thus, Job was crowned not because he received a command to make a sacrifice and did not bring it, but because he courageously endured sorrow. And Paul is glorified because he endured scourgings, afflictions, and everything else with gratitude (2). You might be interested in: