Sunday Readings
Our generation has a great aversion to the Truth. To stand on the side of Truth and defend it with prophetic courage is to draw a battle line with forces of this world.
If you are not criticized or persecuted, know that you may not be doing much or that you are simply indifferent when things are obviously going wrong.
My Dearest People of God,
I joyfully welcome you to this 4th Sunday and pray that God will give you the courage to be fearless in the face of criticisms and persecutions against your Christian Faith and Practice.The readings of today challenge us to be courageous in practicing our Christianity even in the face of hatred, persecution and rejection.
Last Sunday we heard the inaugural speech of Jesus in the Synagogue in Nazareth. Jesus came to offer liberation to His people, which He began by opening their eyes to the Truth. He was vehemently opposed and persecuted for telling the Truth about the Kingdom of God. This opposition which had already begun at the Synagogue in Nazareth will end with His suffering and death on the cross. He will die for the Truth. We too shall die with Him for upholding the Truth of our Christian faith and convictions, if we are truly His.
Persecution seems to be a litmus test for the Christian faith. It was Martin Luther King Junior who said, “The ultimate standard of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and pleasure, but where he stands in moments of persecutions and controversy.” Unfortunately many Christians today are living double standards. They can hardly take a stand on moral issues or in matters of faith and practice.
Jeremiah and Paul were true examples of those Christians who were convinced of what they were saying and doing and stood firm to defend their beliefs without compromises. St. Augustine once said:
“If you see that you have not yet suffered tribulations, consider it certain that you have not begun to be a true servant of God, for Saint Paul said plainly, that all who chose to live piously in Christ, shall suffer persecutions.”
The first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah narrates the prophetic calling and mandate given to Jeremiah by God. God equipped him and assured him of His Presence as Jeremiah faced opposition, persecution and rejection that followed his prophetic mission. In living out his prophetic vocation while encountering rejection and persecution, Jeremiah prefigured Jesus. One thing we should learn from this reading is that God never abandons those who stand with the courage to defend Him. His abiding Presence encourages us not to be afraid when the world persecutes us for upholding the Truth.
In the second reading, we hear Paul speaking with the courage of his convictions in correcting the Corinthian Christian community where the exercise of God’s gifts was causing competition, jealousy and divisiveness. He courageously presents to them a “Way” that surpasses all others, namely, the way of love. Paul instructs them to exercise their gifts with love. Love keeps us strong in the face of opposition. Were it not for their love for God and the Truth, Jeremiah and Paul would not be the courageous Prophet and Apostle we know today. It is our innermost convictions that drive our passion for courage in the face of opposition.
Today’s Gospel is a continuation of last Sunday’s Gospel which brought about His own people’s negative reaction to Jesus’ “inaugural address” at the Synagogue in Nazareth. There,Jesus applied to Himself the words of Isaiah 61, announcing a new time of jubilee, liberation, and healing in God’s Name. The passage shows us how Jesus, in His humanity, faced skepticism and criticism with prophetic courage. Jeremiah and Paul believed that they were commissioned by God to proclaim a disturbing prophetic message.(Jer 1:4-5, 17-19) No matter how strong the opposition, they had the conviction that God was with them.
As Christians, we are not immune to persecution. A person who struggles to live uprightly or who tries to obey the rules will always encounter opposition and persecution from those who feel threatened by his or her way of life. Jesus was perceived by the Jews as a threat to their national and religious safety and security. He was seen as a revolutionary and was charged with treason. We all know that Jesus did nothing wrong, but why did they want to hurt Him?. I know many of you would be asking the same question about your own experiences in life. If you are suffering for righteousness’ sake great is your reward in this life and in heaven. It takes courage to change the status quo. People are resistant to change and to the Truth, so we need the conviction of faith to stand by the Truth at all times.
Our persecution can come from our families or our relationship with the outside world. In moments of opposition and criticism we must ask ourselves the following questions. Am I doing the right thing? Am I saying the right thing? Am I speaking the Truth? If all is in the affirmative, then ask yourself, “Why would I quit saying the right thing, doing the right thing, and standing by the Truth?” Must you join them if you can’t beat them?
My dear child of God, never give up no matter what the oppositions are. If you seek to please men then you are making yourself an enemy of God. “Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4: 4)
We need to follow Christ, not political correctness, and to speak the Truth of Christ without being hypocritical or disrespectful. We must never remain silent in the face of evil for fear of being thought “politically incorrect” “because the greatest part of hell will be reserved for those who in the face of moral crises remain neutral. “- Dante
Jesus taught us to love and respect others without condoning or encouraging sinful behavior. We need to be kind, charitable, honest, and forgiving, but clear in speaking out our Christian convictions, just as Jesus was when He spoke in the Synagogue at Nazareth.
Our world needs courageous people to challenge the moral evils and societal ills of our time. We need the courage to stand on our decisions to vote for the right candidate in the forthcoming elections in Nigeria. It is an abuse of one’s civic responsibility and a betrayal of one’s conscience to sell your vote. If you cannot be convinced in little things, like voting for a preferred candidate, I wonder if you can be convinced in serving God? Let no one force you or lure you with material gifts against your convictions. If we make little truthful decisions and stand by them daily then we become better equipped to embrace the challenges of our Christian Faith.
You may have experienced from friends and family the pain of rejection, betrayal, abandonment, violated trust, neglect, or abuse at work.May we reach out to them as God’s agents of healing and saving Grace. Perhaps we are guilty of such rejection. Perhaps we, too, have been guilty of ignoring or humiliating people with our arrogance and prejudice. Let us learn to correct our mistakes and face rejection from others with courage.
May God strengthen us in the face of trials and tribulations of faith. His Grace is sufficient for you.
The younger generation needs to know what is truthful and moral. Build their courage to defend the truth through constant reading of the Bible.
I keep you and your family always in my prayers.© Clems C. Aladi, 2022.
