The Secret of the Martyrs: Living Every Moment with Christ

We all stumble. We make mistakes, forget our priorities, and sometimes let fear or pride get the better of us. Even the saints weren’t perfect—our first Pope, Saint Peter, denied Jesus three times! But the beauty of our faith is that we don’t have to be perfect. Christ, in His infinite mercy, invites us to begin again, to return to Him, and to walk the path of holiness one step at a time.

When I think about what it means to live a life oriented toward Christ, I can’t help but think about the martyrs. Not just for their ultimate sacrifice, but for the way they loved the Lord in the small, everyday moments long before their final act of love for God. What made their lives so powerful wasn’t just their death for Christ, but their choice to live with Christ—completely and intentionally—in everything.

To follow the way of the martyrs is to live consciously and constantly aware of the abiding presence of Christ in every moment. It’s not just about living for Christ, but about living with Christ—sharing every part of our life with Him so deeply that it’s no longer “me” living my life, but “us”—Jesus and me—living our life together, completely oriented toward the Father.

For me, living our life together looks something like this:

• When I have to wake up early in the morning, Christ does too; therefore, we wake up early.

• When I am starving because I skipped breakfast and got caught up working, Christ is too; therefore, we are starving.

• When I run out of shampoo and need to buy more, Christ does too; therefore, we need more shampoo.

• When I get left out of plans to hang out with a group of friends, Christ does too; therefore, we are left out and feel lonely together.
  

Do you see what I’m proposing here? It might sound a little silly at first, maybe even arbitrary, but these small mental shifts bear tremendous fruit for me. These little reminders help me stay rooted in the truth that I’m not wandering through this life of faith alone. They are tiny but intentional steps to root out the sneaky mindset of self-reliance that can so easily take hold.

Why? Because at the heart of it, this “it’s all up to me” mentality is what keeps Christ from having all of me. If I think it’s all on my shoulders, then I’m closing myself off from sharing my whole life with Him. But as I learn to invite Him into everything—even the mundane or inconvenient moments—something beautiful happens: my life becomes less about me and more about us.

And in the measure that I can let go of this mindset—that my life is all about me or up to me—Christ can be made flesh again through my flesh. This, I believe, is the secret sauce of sanctity.

When I reflect on the martyrs, I see that their strength didn’t come from extraordinary courage or superhuman willpower, but from hearts so deeply shared with Christ that His life became their life.

Those who seek to share totally with Christ, aligning their hearts with His in every moment, will find an eternal love stronger than death. This kind of love can withstand every trial this earth presents, no matter how big or small.

So, as I think about the martyrs, I’m reminded that sanctity starts in the little things. The “secret” isn’t some far-off heroic act; it’s learning to share, moment by moment, the entirety of our lives with Christ. And that kind of sharing leads to a love that transforms everything.