A reading from the gospel according to Luke 21:12-19
Jesus said to the crowd:
12 “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.
13 It will lead to your giving testimony.
14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
17 You will be hated by all because of my name,
18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Reflection: Perseverance
Once again, Jesus is reminding us of the cost of following Him. Indeed, to walk in His ways is not at all a walk in the park. As believers, we are called upon to witness to the truth, to give light to a dark world, and to be salt to a tasteless society. Yet, in doing so, we will encounter opposition and persecution.
Witnessing to the truth is not easy because many people are accustomed to lying and they will hate you for exposing the truth. To be a light is dangerous because many people prefer to be in darkness. That is their comfort zone. To be salt is a thankless endeavor because many people do not care who is doing good. By itself, truth is divisive. Light is painful because its heat might be unbearable to many people. Salt has a low value although it gives a lot of benefits.
Yet Jesus tells us to persevere in order to secure a place in His kingdom. We should never be afraid to do what is right even when family and friends tell us to keep quiet or else we lose them. When they bring us to court, we should be willing to be jailed just like Paul, Peter and the other martyrs and saints after them.
God sees everything. He knows even the smallest act of kindness that we do. Let us always seek to do His will even if it endangers our life. That is what it means to be a hero in His sight.
