Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Daniel 5:1-6.13-14.16-17.23-28; Luke 21:12-19)
In today’s gospel Jesus warns his followers that some of
them will be put to death before he comes again. Short of that, they will be betrayed and
persecuted. Yet, he says, they are not
to lose courage or give up. He promises
to assist them in their trials.
Jesus’ prediction has proved true until the present
day. Christians in different parts of
the world are being harassed, injured, robbed, and even killed. Numbers are
disputed. Some say as many as 100,000 a
year. In any case persecutions are
distressingly many.
As most of us live in areas without systematic persecution,
we tend to think that Christians everywhere live in peace. After all, Christ taught us to love, not to
hate our neighbors. However, whether it
be from others’ religious zealotry or in reaction to our failure to follow
Christ, Christians are suffering violence today. Our response must not be to prepare ourselves
for battle. Rather, as much as possible,
we are to give testimony to Jesus’ own long-suffering, peace, and love.
