Martyrs & Object Constancy

Today we ponder the amazing stories of the North American martyrs, or our Canadian martyrs (as our Canadian brothers and sisters call them).

Reading the stories you realize how absolutely secure they must've felt in God's love to endure such torture.

In the normal course of human development, that sort of security takes time. In the book Boundaries, the authors explore the principle:

The ultimate goal of mother's 'being there' [for her child] is a state called emotional object constancy. Object constancy refers to the child's having an internal sense of belonging and safety, even away from the presence of the mother. All those experiences of constant loving pay off in a child's inner sense of security. It's been built in. Object constancy is referred to in the Bible as 'being rooted and established in love' (Eph. 3:17) and as having been 'rooted and built up in [Christ]' (Col. 2:7). It illustrates the principle that God's plan for us is to be loved enough by him and others, to not feel isolated - even when we're alone.

An aside: the authors Cloud & Townsend see the boyhood incident of Christ leaving Mary & Joseph for the Temple as a part of the natural separation-individuation process: "'I have values, thoughts, and opinions that are different from yours, Mother.' Jesus knew who he was not, as well as who he was."