How far would be go to speak the truth of the gospel? How much do we weigh what we are willing to give up for our faith?
Recently I was fortunate enough to travel to Ireland. Among Ireland’s rich culture, good food and friendly people is a dark history. In a Dublin exhibit, I was able to see the ‘Book of Kells’ which contain the four gospels written by monks around 800AD. Among other artifacts were other early Christian writings, mission gospels and even mission satchels. I was amazed to physically see early missionary tools that were used centuries ago around Europe, Asia and Africa. I was in awe to learn how early missionaries risked their lives and what they had to endure in order to spread the good news around the world. The mission gospels were considered precious possessions, and the ‘Book of Kells’ themselves were and still are a national treasure. They were highly sought after to be destroyed during the Viking raids and reformation, where Christians died trying to preserve these gospels.
Along learning about the preservation of these gospels, I was introduced into the bloody history of Catholicism in the country. During the reform, Catholics were forced to be second class citizens and follow the Penal laws such as giving up their rights to vote, own land or openly practice their Catholic faith. The country is rich with martyrs and saints that gave up their lives to preserve their faith and spread the gospels to others.
I now reflect on how easy it is to connect and share your faith in these times. Email and social media are at the click of mouse or tap of a screen. Here in the True North, we are able to openly share our faith and have the right to our beliefs. Missionaries of the past have laid the groundwork for us, and perhaps the hardships are not as extreme as before. However, the call is the same: To serve God with a willing heart, and spread the good news of the word.