Great Christians: Lenten series #1

Perpetua the Martyr- 203 AD

An autobiographical account (updated in modern language)

Scripture Reading:  John 3

February 17, 2008

Rev. Dr. Carol  L. Kerr

 Blue Point Congregational Church

When we were still being watched by the Roman government, my father would argue with me over and over again.  He would continually try to undermine and destroy my faith in Christ.  Of course, this was because he loved me so much.   He was afraid I would end up killed.  He knew as well as I, that my patriotism and loyalty would be questioned because I had become a Christian.  It was only a matter of time until the authorities would test me.   My father exclaimed, that all I had to do was to say Cesar was god.  He couldn’t understand what was so hard about a few words.  3 little words, “Ceasar is god.”  That is all he yelled.  You are going to die over three little words?  Surely he said, there is room for your god, Christ, and for one more God ceasar.  All he was asking is for me to admit 2 gods.   Why people around here try to collect as many gods as they can, 10, 20, 30 gods, the whole pantheon, the more the merrier!

But, I didn’t budge.  Father, you see this pitcher here?  Can it be called by any other name than what it is a pitcher? Can it be called a cup, or a tube, or a cistern?  No.  Neither can I be called anything other than what I am, a Christian. 

This made my father loose it altogether.  If argument didn’t work, be was simply going to beat me until I caved in. He started hitting me and pulling my hair, and tried to tear my eyes out.  But, it did not change.  He only got me angrier,  and more certain of my point of view.    Finally, I wore him down and he left.  Thank goodness he left me in peace, at least for a few days.  I gave thanks to the Lord that he was gone.

During that time I was baptized, and the Holy Spirit came upon me.  Then I started praying for the ability to endure pain.  Because after a few days, just as we had predicted, I was taken to prison.  It was horrible.  It was bitter and dark and terribly hot.  The soldiers were sadistic.  Finally, I worried about my little child who was only two.  He was still breast feeding, and this was the first time he had been away from me and I from him. 

Then two deacons of the church, Tertius and Pomponius, bribed the authorities that we should be taken to a better part of the prison.  I had a chance to breast feed my child who was faint with hunger.  I then wanted to be sure he was taken care of so I asked my mother and brother if they would take care of him after I was gone.  I was heartbroken when I saw how terribly sad they were for my sake.  After many days they finally allowed my son to be with me in prison.  This filled me with joy.  Suddenly the prison was a palace.  I was completely content. 

Then my brother, who was also studying to be a Christian, said to me that I might ask God for a vision, to see if I was going to die or if I would be delivered.  Was I to die for Christ as Christ had died for me?

That night I had a dream:  In the dream there was a bronze ladder that reached up to heaven.  It was narrow and only one person could climb it at a time.  On the sides of the ladder were all sorts of iron things, swords, spears, hooks and knives.  So if anyone climbed that ladder carelessly, or simply did not look upward the whole time, he or she would be lacerated and punctured by these things.   At the bottom of the ladder was a huge snake that laid in wait for people who dared to climb the ladder and tried to frighten them away.  My teacher in Christ, Saturus was there.  He had voluntarily turned himself in,  knowing that we had been taken when he was not there.  He could not let us be executed without him, the one who had led us to Christ.  There he was in my dream.  He looked down to me from the top of the ladder and said:  “Perpetua, I am waiting for you;  but watch out that the serpent doesn’t bite you.”  Then it seemed like the serpent was actually afraid of me, because it gently put out its head and let me step on it, as if it was the first rung of the ladder.  When I climbed to the top I saw a beautiful garden.  In the middle of it was a man with white hair and in shepherd’s clothing.  He was tall and was milking his sheep.  Standing around him were many more wearing white robes.  Thousands of people.  When he saw me he said, “Welcome, child.  And then he gave me a curd from the milk of the sheep.  I ate it up.  Everyone that was standing around said, “Amen!”  Then I woke up.  But the taste in my mouth was still there.  It was amazing sweet.  I had never tasted anything like that before. 

I told my brother about the dream right away.  Because of it we knew that it should be a passion.  We began to have no hope any longer in this world.

A few days after the news got out that we were going to be tried my father returned.  He was exhausted and completely spent.  He was so depressed about my Christianity.  He simply could not understand what it was all about and why I was willing to die for it.  He begged me to have pity on him, my own father who brought me into this world.  He reminded me of how I was his favorite child.  He loved me more than my brothers.  Moreover, his reputation would be ruined among other men if I went ahead with my crazy and stupid Christianity.  Then he told me to take a long look at my brothers, my mother, my aunts and above all my two year old son.  He reminded me of how enormous the loss would be for them and what unbearable grief they would have. 

He then started crying and kissed my hand and did not call me his daughter but his precious lady.  I felt sorry for my father, because he did not rejoice with my death like those in the rest of my family who were Christian.  I tried to comfort him by saying that what would happen at the trial would be the will of God.  I told him that we really don’t have control over things, rather God does.  It is not up to us, but up to God.  Then he left still crying. 

Some days later we were eating and suddenly snatched away to be tried.  When we got to the forum many people had gathered to see what was going to happen.  Many of the others who were asked to declare their Christian faith..  When it was my turn, my father appeared holding my little son.  He pleaded with me, “Perform the sacrifice.  Have mercy on your son.”  Then the procurator (judge) Hilarian joined in and said, Spare your father’s gray hairs, spare your infant boy.  Make sacrifice for the Emperors’ prosperity!  Then I answered  “I am a Christian.”  My father got next to me and told me to give it up, to give up my faith.  Then Hilarian told my father to give it up, and ordered him to be smacked with rod.  He fell and was beaten.  I felt terrible for my father, who looked so old to me, and that his life had to come to this.  Then Hilarian condemned us to the beasts.   

As anguished as my father was, we were cheerful.  After all, Christ had died for us and now we would be able to witness to his love and his divinity by dying for him.  When I was down in the dungeon I asked for my child because he needed to be breast fed.  I wanted him to stay with me in prison as long as possible.  But, my father would not allow it.  But, I think this was the will of God, because that day he no longer needed my milk but was able to eat solid foods and also, I did not get a fever or was tormented by the pain in my breasts. 

A few days later as I was praying, suddenly I thought of my little brother Dinocrates.  I hadn’t thought of him for years.  What had happened to him was so terribly sad.  Then I knew that since I was now Christian and about to witness to Christ with my life, I decided that I could pray for him and to pour out my feelings about him to God. 

That night had had a dream that Dinocrates was coming from a dark place.  He was hot and thristy.  His clothes were foul.  His skin was pale.  He had the same ugly scars on his face that he had when he died.  You see, Dinocrates at the age of seven had contracted a disease that made horrible ulcers on his face.  This disease got word and word and he came to a dreadful and painful death.  He was so ugly by the end that he disgusted everyone around him.  So, I prayed for him.  In the dream there was this great space between me and him, so great that we could not get to each other.  Moreover, Dinocrates was by a huge and beautiful fountain of water.  But, its bottom edge was too high for him to reach.  And he remained dying of thirst. 

When I woke up, I knew my brother’s soul was very troubled.  So, I prayed for him every day, confident that God would hear me.  Then we were transferred to the camp prison for the games we were to fight in were to be at Emperor Geta’s birthday as entertainment.  I prayed for him day and night, crying over and over, that he might be given hope. 

Then I was given another dream.  It was in the same place but Dinocrates was clean, and his skin was smooth like a new born babes.  He wore beautiful clothes.  And the fountain that I had seen in the first dream was there, only the edge of it was now at his waist.  There was a golden cup on the edge full of water.  The fountain flowed without ceasing.  Dinocrates came up to the fountain and drank.  The cup never failed.  His thirst quenched, he left the fountain and began to play with all the other little children, so happy and full of joy. 

Pudens was the man in charge of the prison.  He was moved by us, the Christians, because he watched us day in and day out and understood the faith and grace in us.  So, he allowed our friends and families to come and comfort us when we were in prison.  The games were drawing near, when one day my father came.  He looked terrible.  He was utterly spent.  He began to rip at his beard.  He threw hair on the ground.  He fell on his face, crying and cursing his old age.  He said things that would move the most hard hearted.  I was deeply saddened and felt bad for him and that his life had come to this. 

The night before we were to fight.  I had a dream.   Pomponius, the deacon ahd come to the door of the prison and knocked hard upon it.  I went opened the door.  He was wearing a white robe and had strange golden shoes.  He said to me, “Perpetua, we are waiting for you; come.”  Then he took my hand and we began to go through rugged and winding corridors.  Climbing and breathing hard we finally got to the amphitheater.  He led me out into the arena.  He told me, “Don’t be afraid; I am here with you and I will work with you.”  Then he went away.  Everyone in the stadium was watching me.  I knew that I was condemned to the beasts, but there were no beasts.  Instead there was an ugly Egyptian man who came out to fight me with some helpers.  But, I also had some young men to help fight with me.  I was stripped naked, and I became a man.  My helpers began to rub me with oil as was their custom for a contest.  I looked over and saw the Egyptian wallowing in dust.  Then there came a giant of a man.  He was so tall that he was taller than the top of the whole amphitheater.  He was wearing a white robe, with long strips of purple cloth.  He also had strange golden shoes.   He held in his had a green branch with golden apples.   He called for silence in the amphitheater and then said that if the Egyptian shall conquer this woman, he shall slay her with a sword.  But, if the woman  shall conquer him she shall receive this branch.   Then he went away.

The next part in the dream we started circling each other.  We started hitting and boxing each other.  He tried to trip up my feet, but I was able to kick his face.  Then, in the dream, I rose up into the air and was able to fight him as if I did not even have to walk on the earth.  Then at the exact moment I clasped my hands together and caught his head.  He fell on his face, and I stepped on his head.  The people began to shout and my helpers began to sing.  I went up to the master of the gladiators and received the rbanch.  He kids me and said to me:  Daughter, peace be to you.   I then went with glory to the gate, the “Gate of Life.” 

Then I woke up and understood, that the fight was not with beasts but with the devil.  And, I knew that I was going to be victorious.   So far, I have written all of this.  But, it is the day before the games will start.  Tomorrow I shall die.  I must ask someone else to tell what happens in the game and of my death. 

We are unworthy to finish this account of Perpetua’s glory.  Yet, it is her will that we do so.  The night before the games the Christians were asked what they wanted to eat.  The Roman’s call this last feast the “Free feast.”  But, the Christians wanted what they call a “Love Feast.”  So, they shared in communion remembering the last supper Christ had with his disciples before his passion. 

The dawn of the day of their victory, the Christians went from their prison into the amphitheater as if it was into heaven.  They were cheerful and had happy faces.  If they trembled at all, it was for joy and not for fear.  Perpetua  who followed behind  looked radiant as a true wife of Christ and joy of God.  She looked right at everyone in the amphitheater with piercing eyes.  The Romans wanted the Christians to wear costumes of their gods, the priestesses of Ceres and the priests of Saturn.  But, Perpetua refused to do so.  She said, “This is why we are here in the first place.  We refuse to acknowledge any other God than the one God, Jesus the Christ.  There is no way we are going to dress up like some other God.  We are already willing to die for this cause.  So they let the Christians go on ahead.  Perpetua began singing hymns of joy.  When the Christians came in front of the judge Hilarian, they pointed to him and said, “You judge us, but God will judge you.”  This enraged the people and so they jeered and cried out for them to be whipped.  The Christians were only happy to have the same thing happen to them as happened to their lord, Jesus. 

The women were stripped an put in a net and brought before a savage bull.  However, the crowds shuddered when they saw how young the women were and that one just had a baby.  So, they were called back and put loose robes on them.  Perpetua was first thrown to the bull.  Whne she sat upright her robe had been ripped.  She found a pin and fixed it.  Then she fixed her hair.  She wanted to look her best as she died for Christ.  When she saw her friend had fallen.  She went over and helped her up.  By that time the people in the amphitheater were subdued and began to have compassion on them.  So they were brought back to the Gate of Life.  For a while she was in a daze and confused as to whether she had been thrown to the bull yet or not.  But a fellow Christian had told her what happened and showed the marks upon her.  Then she saw in the amphitheater another person who had been baptized with her at the same time and called out to them, to be strong and courageous in their faith and to love one another.  She told them not to be upset by their martyrdom. 

One Christian, Saturus was stabbed and as he was dying, he called out to the guard Pudens, “Farewell; remember the faith and me; and don’t let these things bother you, let them strengthen you.”  Then he took a ring from the soldiers finger and dipped into the blood of his wound and gave it to him. 

The crowds called for the others to be brought together in front of them so that they could see it better when their throats were cut.  So the Christians moved to where they were told.  In front of the whole amphitheater they then gave each other the kiss of peace and succumbed to their death.