Is Martyrdom a Gift or a Charism?

There's a story told by Corrie Ten Boom, the great Protestant confessor for the Christian faith who safely harboured Jews during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.  She related how, with the terrible prospect of Hitler's machine, she admitted to her father, "Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ."  Here's how the converstion unfolded:

Mr Ten Boom:  "Tell me, when you take a train trip from Haarlem to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?” 

Corrie:  "No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train."

Mr Ten Boom:  "That is right, and so it is with God’s strength. Our wise Father in heaven knows when you are going to need things too. Today you do not need the strength to be a martyr. But as soon as you are called upon for the honor of facing death for Jesus, He will supply the strength you need—just in time."

Corrie's father indicates that the gift of strength needed for martyrdom would be ad hoc, which certainly fits the definition of a charism--those gifts from God, unlike the Septenary--which are not habitual but given for the moment.  St Paul, in listing the various charismatic gifts, indicates that martyrdom as a charism only by way of implication.  After listing the various charisms in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, he gives a parital summary of them in the next chapter, with the addition "...and if I deliver my body to be urned, but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:3; St Thomas indeed indicates that martyrdom is spoken of here--cf Super I Corinthos C.13, L.1, #769).  One may argue (cogently, I think) that martyrdom may even be a species of '"prophecy," which St Paul indicates is the greatest of the charismatic gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:2, 4.  We are probably on more stable ground to say that martyrdom falls under the charism of faith indicated in 1 Corinthians 12:9, which differs from faith as a theological virtue.

In the language of theology, "charisms" or "chrismatic gifts" or, ambiguously, the "spiritual gifts" are given the technical name of gratia gratis data--'gift freely given' (cf 1a 2ae, q. 111, art. 4)  This differs from gratia gratum faciens--'gift making pleasing,' which, in catechetical language, is what we mean by saying "sanctifying grace."

Yet, in his Summa theologiae, 2a 2ae, q. 124, St Thomas Aquinas discusses martyrdom within the broader treatment of his treatise on the virtue of fortitude, which appeared in the very previous question.  This gives the impression that martyrdom for the faith (2a 2ae, q. 124, art. 5, sed contra; resp.) falls under a merely cardinal virtue.  The relationship of martyrdom to fortitude becomes even more puzzling when it is "about" fearlessness and daring but "against" fear (qq. 125-127) and the "potential parts" of the virtue of fortitude are given to be "confidence" (for which he substitutes "magnanimity"), "magnificence," "patience," "perseverance" (qq. 129, 134, 136, 137).  But still no "martyrdom."

What the heck, Thomas?

Here's my suspicion:  St Thomas somewhat 'isolates' martyrdom from the gift of Fortitude and from the potential part of the virtue of fortitude becuase it is not only a charismatic gift, but also a sacamental grace belonging to Confirmation:  "In this sacrament, as stated above the Holy Ghost is given to the baptized for strength [ad robur]" (S.th., 3a, q. 72, art. 7, resp., emphasis added).  Thomas' choice of robur here is not insignificant; it appears also in his Compendium theologiae, bk. IV, ch. 58, 3-4 and ch. 60, 1, in De articulus Fidei, part 2, and several times in Super Sententiis IV, dist. 7 all in reference to the sacrament of Confirmation.  More to the point, Thomas does relate Confirmation to martyrdom (cf S.th., 3a, q. 72, art. 8, ad 3).  We know, too, that Confirmation confers the fullness of the Septenary upon the neophyte--including the gift of Fortitude (art. 2, resp.).  The question, then, becomes:  What is the relationship between F/fortitudo and robur?

Lewis & Short indicates that robur means 'hardwood' or 'oak-wood,' from which we get the adjectival robustus and the English robust by way of Middle French's robuste.  Deferrari further points out that it is related to 'fortitude':  "of fortitude, law, courage, hope, the passions, authority, grace" (emphasis added).  It would seem, then, that the strength of robur effected by Confirmation may be the Septenary's Fortitudo at work (as an act?), which in turn perfects the virtue of fortitudo.  That is to say, the virtue of fortitude is perfected by the gift bearing the same name not only to overcome dangers, but to immovably stand like an oak tree in the face of violence against the Name of Jesus.

It is often said that the Summa theologiae reads like a Gothic cathedral, but I think this is more true than most people mean:  Like the motifs and artwork in these mother-churches in reference to each other and to the whole, culminating at the vaulting which direct our gaze heavenward, Thomas intends us to read his incomplete life's work 'from the ground up,' with each question, each article demanding the rubric "hold that thought...!" until the work is finished.  And it was, in the Angelic Doctor's own beatific vision, to which our reading of him also invites us to.  His incomplete remarks about martyrdom was intentional, looking towards, I would suggest, the robur of Confirmation which brought Fortitudo to fullness.  So the answer to our question--Is martyrdom a gift or a charism?--I'm inclined to say:  Both.

All the more, then, does the ceremonial blow on the cheek of the Confirmandi, kneeling immovably before the bishop, make sense.