Fasting Day 25 of 40 | Fifth Wednesday of Lent
“More than forty men were involved in this plot.” Acts 23:13
Even as soldiers plotted to kill the apostle Paul in today’s Scripture, we have record of forty Roman soldiers from the Legio XII Fulminata in 320 whose comrades executed for refusing to renounce their Christian faith.
“After they had been torn by scourges and iron hooks they were chained together and led to a lingering death. It was a cruel winter, and they were condemned to lie naked on the icy surface of a pond in the open air till they were frozen to death. But they ran undismayed to the place of their combat, joyfully stripped off their garments, and with one voice besought God to keep their ranks unbroken. “Forty,” they cried, “we have come to combat: grant that forty may be crowned.” There were warm baths nearby, ready for any one amongst them who would deny Christ. The soldiers who watched saw angels descending with thirty-nine crowns, and, while they wondered at the deficiency in the number, one of the confessors lost heart, renounced his faith, and, crawling to the fire, died body and soul at the spot where he expected relief. But a soldier was inspired to confess Christ and take his place, and again the number of forty was complete. They remained steadfast while their limbs grew stiff and frozen, and died one by one.”
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (320) in The Lives of the Saints by Alban Butler (Benziger Brothers: Global Grey, 2019) reading for March 10.
Pray for the persecuted church today. Ask God to help them persevere and receive their crowns. Remember them each day for the rest of Lent.
Jesus, help the persecuted church persevere to the end. Amen.
Make a gift today to support workers who serve the persecuted church.
If you need inspiration, click here send a gift to the Generosity Monk Fund to support my April 2026 trip to Pakistan to serve workers there.
And in Jesus name, I hope to return to China later in 2026.