Heaven Bound

When your religious freedom is threatened, when your religious freedom is taken away, what will you do? What will I do?  This was the question facing Catholics in Mexico in the early part of the last century.

It was not until I saw the movie “For Greater Glory” that I became aware of the terrible persecution Catholics in Mexico faced at the hands of their own government in the Cristero War of 1926, a bloody conflict which lasted three years as a result of anti-clerical laws passed in 1917 by former President and atheist Plutarco Elias Callas – a conflict that would leave an estimated 90,000 people dead before it finally came to an end.

As the government moved to shut down churches and ban religious practices, it soon became clear that any who opposed them could expect the harshest of repercussions. Priests were tortured and killed in public and any who sought to oppose them could expect to be hung, if caught, from telegraph poles around the city as an example to others, who might be foolish enough to join their cause.  Initial peaceful protests were met with violent opposition and it soon became apparent that the people, if they wanted their religious freedom, would have to organize and fight to have that right.

I was very moved by this movie and especially the portrayal of a young boy by the name of Jose Luis Sanchez Del Rio, who was tortured (and, murdered) for his faith in Christ and his refusal to divulge information regarding the rebel troops, whose flag he had carried.

According to one source, this is what happened to Jose, (also portrayed in the movie) –

When they were going to take him to be executed, the soldiers had machetes, and they started to strike him with them. At every cut, the boy cried out, “Long live Christ the King!” When he got to the cemetery, he was already covered in his own blood. They had also chopped up the soles of his feet, and as the road was not paved back then, it was nothing but rocks. Those stones where he had trodden were all soaked in his blood. When they got to the cemetery, they showed him the grave, and said, “This is where we are going to bury you.” The boy responded, “That is good. I forgive all of you since we are all Christians.” He offered them his hand and said, “We’ll see each other in Heaven. I want you all to repent. Long live Christ the King!” At that point they shot him. They gave him a coup de grace to the head and he died.

The story of Jose is the story of countless others who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of Christ and, who, even now are facing ruthless governments and religious regimes who are doing everything within their power to stamp out the name of Jesus and to stamp out religious freedom. And, we may be faced with the same.

You see, we have a Commander-in Chief, who has pledged his support for a lifestyle that is diametrically opposed to God, and, a Commander-in-Chief, who opposes anyone, who should stand in the way of his re-making America, not in God’s image, but, in his own image.

From his speech at the annual Human Rights Campaign fund-raising dinner.

“I need your help to fight for equality, to pass a repeal of DOMA, to pass an inclusive employment non-discrimination bill, so that being gay is never again a fireable offensive in America,” said Obama. “And I don’t have to tell you, there are those who don’t want to just stand in our way, but want to turn the clock back, who want to return to the days when gay people couldn’t serve their country openly. Who reject the progress we’ve made. Who … want to enshrine discrimination in state laws and constitutions — efforts that we’ve got to work hard to oppose, because that’s not what America should be about. We’re not about restricting rights and restricting opportunity.”

Yes, an America made in his own image.

The day may be coming, when we will be called upon to make the same choices as did the Cristeros less than a century ago. And, if we should, will we see it, as they and so many others have – as an honor, a privilenge and a blessing  –  for greater glory?  I pray by God’s grace that we will.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper, who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristero_War

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37007274

http://arturovasquez.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarco_El%C3%ADas_Calles

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/01/obama-hrc-speech-gay-rights_n_990574.html