Psalm 98:1-3,7-9,
Perseverance Will Save Our Lives
Brethren, anyone who wants to follow Christ must be ready to face persecution: from friends, family members, acquaintances, and even fellow parishioners. This is because, to truly follow Christ, especially in a society where vice is quickly becoming the norm, one must be prepared to swim against the current. People are not usually comfortable around one who thinks and acts differently, when such actions prick their conscience. There is a lot of the Christians who want to maintain the truth even when everyone else holds on to lies; who wants to be financially transparent even when others expect him/her to loot and give them a share; who wants to remain pure in word and deed even when so called friends consider these things out of fashion. Though persecuted, the Christian should remember the words of Christ, "Your endurance will win you your life”.
This is what we see Jesus telling his disciples in the Gospel today. As we continue to reflect on the end of times, and making necessary preparations for the last day, Jesus today tells us the plain truth that we are going to undergo persecution for the sake of his name. People will hate us and we shall be handed over to courts even by our family members. However, Jesus encourages us that he himself will give us what to say and above all he encourages us that whoever perseveres to the end will save his or her life.
There are two aspects that we can take from today's Gospel. Firstly, Jesus is giving us a clue concerning what consists of following him. He doesn't want us to follow him blindly but with full awareness and conscience of the type of discipleship it is to follow Jesus. Therefore brethren, since we have decided to follow Jesus, let us not turn back when persecution comes our way, if our parents, family members and friends treat us cruelly because of following Christ, let us not give in, Jesus foresaw this.
Secondly, Jesus gives us a way of dealing with persecution with an eternal reward. He says, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” By remaining strong through the trials of life and by retaining hope, mercy and confidence in God, we will become victorious. This is such an important message. And it’s a message that is certainly easier said than done. It is through perseverance that we shall save our lives but also inspire and win many people for God.
Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D, encourages us to persevere without doubt in Jesus' promises. "We should have no doubt that our mortal flesh also will rise again at the end of the world... This is the Christian faith. This is the Catholic faith. This is the apostolic faith. Believe Christ when he says, 'Not a hair of your head shall perish' Putting aside all unbelief, consider how valuable you are. How can our Redeemer despise any person when he cannot despise a hair of that person's head? How are we going to doubt that he intends to give eternal life to our soul and body? He took on a soul and body in which to die for us, which he laid down for us when he died and which he took up again that we might not fear death." (Excerpt from Sermon 214.11-12).
There is no need to fear anything. We do not need to fear our adversaries too. What will attract others to the truth and power of the Gospel is when they see us, Christians, loving our enemies, being joyful in suffering, patient in adversity, pardoning injuries, and showing comfort and compassion to the hopeless and the helpless. Jesus tells us that we do not need to fear our adversaries. God will give us sufficient grace, strength, and wisdom to face any trial and to answer any challenge to our faith.
Throughout history we have seen many who have stood for Christ even up to giving up their lives, the martyrs, right from the Apostles even up to today. However, today there may be not much persecution up to death but God still calls us to be martyrs who shed their blood for bearing witness to Jesus Christ. For most of us, our call is to be 'dry' martyrs who bear testimony to the joy and power of the Gospel in the midst of daily challenges, contradictions, temptations and adversities which come our way as we follow the Lord Jesus.
Are you ready to lay down your life for Christ and to bear witness to the joy and freedom of the Gospel? Are you ready to persevere up the end so that you can save your life? Those who will persevere up to the end will save their lives will be like those who fought the beast and won it as John tells us in the first reading. We shall join them to sing praises to God forever in heaven. You and I can be among them and what can stop us if we are ready? Nothing!
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus Christ, by your atoning death on the cross you have redeemed the world. Fill me with joyful hope, courage, and boldness to witness the truth of your love for sinners and your victory over the powers of sin, Satan, and death. Amen
Be blessed
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