However, it is also true that in normal circumstances, the world in which we live today is not overtly hostile to the right of each individual to freedom of religious belief and practice. This means that for the majority of us it is difficult to imagine being arrested, brought to trial and condemned to death, like a heroic victim, for our religious belief and practice. The world today is dominated by atheism, hedonism, materialism, relativism, indifferentism, etc. All Christians are invited to respond to these and many other challenges, first of all, by being witnesses . In concrete this means to live in simple fidelity to God in the midst of today's materialistic society in which God and his precepts are often ridiculed and marginalized.
Witness thus becomes connatural to Christian faith.
Without detracting from the profound theological meaning of martyrdom, a Christian is invited to bear witness today by being a person of charity, mercy, pardon, reconciliation and peace. A disciple of Jesus should never divide any community, should not provoke polemics nor encourage controversies. Triumphalism is to be avoided, and a humble spirit shown. There should be no intolerance, but rather an attitude of compassion and understanding towards all. In imitation of Jesus his disciple is called to have a right attitude towards the world, neither accommodating nor unnecessarily provocative.