"CHRIST, IN HIS TEACHINGS AND HIS MERCY, INVITES US TO FREEDOM "

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jonathan L. Reardon
November 17th, 2013
Year C

We all do kinds of things in our lives in order to enhance life. We try to do things to bring excitement into an otherwise ordinary existence… extraordinary vacations, visiting new cities and countries, playing different golf courses, skiing the best mountains and the steepest trails and all sorts of other kinds of activities that shake life up a bit, that breaks up the ordinary. Some people even diet and exercise for the same purpose. We make the sacrifices for these activities because we think that we will gain something out of it, that somehow life will be different, that life will be better because of what we put into it.

Jesus says something interesting in the Gospel today that struck me. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Yet, for some reason, this just does not say much for me. Here, one could interpret this to mean that if we just coast along, persevere, just keep doing what your doing and you will get through. Another translation of this same text says this: “by your endurance you will gain your lives.” This to me speaks volumes. There is a stark difference in the words and in the meaning. While perseverance could mean to just carry on, endurance carries the connotation of fortitude. It means that some sacrifice is made in order that a certain outcome is gained; that there is a certain amount of courage, discipline and lack of fear involved in order to push on to the end. 

But what are we enduring and what is to be gained? In this passage, Jesus is talking about the final stages of His glorious return – the Second Coming – but also about having the courage to face persecutions for the sake of giving testimony to Christ before His return. He is not talking about martyrdom in the sense of shedding blood. He is talking about a martyrdom that is a witness to His love, to His Way, to Truth and to Heaven – and He wants us to do it without fear. He wants us to take seriously His own words: “not a hair on your head will be destroyed.” He issuing a warning – they will persecute you just like they persecuted me. This is precisely what we are enduring – persecution and trial. Yet, we may think that in this country, in this modern society, faith in God is respected and there is no such persecution. On the contrary, think of the attacks we are enduring with regard to religious freedom in this “free” society. Think of all the criticism many of us experience because we are striving to be faithful sons and daughters of God. Think of how each day we see on the news and read in the papers more and more people upset over God’s name and endeavor to push Him out of the public square. Jesus needs our words, He needs our witness – He needs us to identify with Him, He desires that we suffer with Him and for Him and that we make known His name, not hide it. This is one of the biggest tragedies of this modern society – the fear of making God’s name known because we don’t want to offend anyone.

But, still, what is to be gained from this? “You will gain your lives” Jesus says. It is as if to say: if we are NOT enduring the trials, if we are witnessing to Him, if we are not making the sacrifices, if we do not identify ourselves with Him then we are not living. St. Paul says it so clearly: “for me life is Christ and death is gain.” We look for so many opportunities to enhance life, to break up the ordinary. We forget that there is really only one place to look – Christ. Each day lived in friendship with Christ presents a new adventure, a new encounter with Him, a new opportunity to speak on His behalf, a new way to experience His love and mercy. We must not fall victim to the influence of popular figures in American culture, self-help books, and the opinions of those whom we deem to be an “authority” in our country who tell us that God has no place in the public square. None of these outlets can enhance our lives, none of them can give that which Christ gives – true life. For Christ, in His teachings and His mercy, invites us to freedom. This is what we gain – freedom. In gaining Christ we gain freedom – the freedom to live fully as the men and women He created us to be.
This is precisely the journey of the soul. In whatever job we have, school we attend, whatever our state in life, married, single, priest or religious, we are invited as believers, if we wish to gain life and to truly live, we must not hold Christ in or box Him up in our little world. The time has come to be bold, to be courageous, and to be true witnesses. For, I think, St. Teresa of Avila said is best:

“Cease troubling about these fears…and never pay heed to such matters of popular opinion. This is no time for believing everyone; believe only those whom you see modeling their lives on the life of Christ. Endeavor always to have a good conscience, practice humility, despise all worldly things, and believe firmly in the teachings of our Holy Mother [the Roman] Church. You may then be quite sure that you are on a very good road. Ceases, as I have said, to have fear where no fear is; if anyone attempts to frighten you point out the road to him in all humility. Tell him that you have a Rule which commands you, as it does, to pray without ceasing, and that the rule you must keep” (The Way of Perfection, Chap. 21).

May we always have the courage to let go of any fears we have in order to identify more closely to Christ, so as to bear Him witness, make His Holy Name known in our world, so as to come alive for God and truly live.

 

Rev. Jonathan L. Reardon is a priest for the diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.
He serves at Sacred Heart Parish in Pittsfield, MA.

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