DAILY HOMILIES #Persecution

Since the Holy Eucharist makes us part of Christ, anyone fighting you for being a Christian is fighting Christ. The Holy Eucharist is the best protection any human can ever have. As Jesus protected the Christians in Damascus from Saul’s raid, Jesus would surely protect you from the plans of your enemies, whether known or unknown. As a communicant, no one can cut short your life or kill you before your time.

Learn to embrace change and avoid shortcuts; if your path requires you to walk through hell, walk as though you own the place. Remember, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”(Psalm 30:5). Jesus says: “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes.” (Matthew 10:23).

While Stephen defended himself before the council, he said: “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56). This is what we profess in the Apostles Creed: “On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Do not live only for this life. There is a better home waiting for us in heaven. Do not be afraid to die in defence of the truth. Your reward will be great in heaven.

If God allows you to experience such difficult times, know that it is because God knows that something good can come from it. We learn more in moments of adversity. We discover our true friends, and we get to tap into our true inner strength. Adversity toughens and shapes us into God’s plans for us. Cherish your moment of adversity; know there can be no crown without a cross first.

Righteousness is a reproach to the ungodly. Seeing the light in you, they try to win you over to the darkness or make your life challenging. This was Jeremiah’s experience in today’s First reading. It was also Jesus’s situation in today’s Gospel passage, and as Jesus warned us, we cannot follow in his steps unless we are prepared to face such difficult moments.

Never be discouraged by setbacks when you desire growth in your spiritual life. Like the Christian faith, beginning a new habit is like planting a seed. When we decide to change from our sinful ways and devote ourselves to becoming more serious with God, we have just planted a small seed. The beginning may be rough, very rough. We may even face great temptations that we may attempt to give up.

Look up and raise your head. Look beyond this world. Look beyond the satisfaction you will gain by making money through dubious means. Look up; raise your head above the suffering you see around you. In a few years from now, we would all be dead and buried. No one will ask who drove the best car, ate the best food, or wore the best clothes. The only thing that would matter then is where we are spending eternity.

In today’s first reading, we continue the revelations of St. John, where he mentions the two witnesses (two olive trees or two lampstands) who stand before the Lord. These two witnesses were attacked and killed by the beast who came from the bottomless pit, but after three and a half days, the two witnesses rose to life when a breath from God entered them. Death is not the end; it is only a new beginning.

Pretence is a virus we must delete from our lives. Secondly, when correcting others, avoid speaking behind their backs lest it becomes merely gossip and character assassination. By addressing God as our Father, Jesus shows us that we are God’s children, and this must be reflected in our behaviour. Every temptation (or trial) is a spiritual battle; if we are not fortified, we fall

Thank God for your enemies. Always wish them well. Enemies are blessings in disguise; they help to bring out the best in us. Enemies remind us to be careful and prayerful. Enemies serve as road signs, speed bumps, and other safety signals that prevent us from road accidents. Enemies are like hot water that helps to cook the food. Do you wish to get to the top or see your dreams come true? Pray to have enough enemies to challenge you.

St. Lawrence did not simply give to the poor; his giving was at the risk of his own life. Jesus says that unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it remains alone, but after it dies, it bears much fruit. It is always painful whenever we make sacrifices for God’s sake, but we must remember that our pain, like the death of the seed buried under the ground, will yield a great harvest.

Prophesying is not the same as giving a merely motivational speech. There is an aspect of prophecy that causes discomfort to its listeners. Preaching truth takes work. Anyone determined to take this path must be prepared for death.