Today's Reflections
Courage under Persecution
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Mt 10:24-33
[Jesus said to the Twelve,] 24“No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. 25It
is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the
slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of
the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
26“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. 27What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And
do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in
Gehenna. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30Even all the hairs of your head are counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. 33But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
Reflection:
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body. One
outstanding and necessary quality of a witness for Christ is courage.
Thus, the Lord Jesus says in encouragement that the Twelve are not to
fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. They should not
be afraid because the Father watches caringly over them. He takes care
of the sparrows. How much more will the Father take care of Christ’s
witnesses.
The
late Vietnamese Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan is an example of this
courage. He was imprisoned in solitary confinement by the Communists for
nine years, but they could not break his spirit. Instead, he won
friends among his guards who even provided the barbed wire that served
as his material to make his pectoral (bishop’s) cross.
Let us bear courageous witness to Christ
by being upright in our daily endeavors.
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