Lk. 12: 49-53
“I Pray to God give me perseverance and deign that I be a faithful witness to him to the end of life for my God.” (St. Patrick) Jesus came to earth not only to save us from eternal damnation, but also to give us eternal life and the Holy Spirit. In today’s gospel, we see Jesus telling his disciples: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what a constraint I am under until it is completed! ” (Lk. 12:49,50) This baptism is his sacrificial death on the cross. When he offers himself as a meritorious sacrifice, we will be restored to the eternal life that we lost due to our inclination towards sin and secondly the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. In fact, in the Old Testament, we see the gift of the Holy Spirit was given only to selected individuals, such as judges, prophets, kings, etc. John the Baptist introduced Jesus’ mission, highlighting his baptism, which was marked by the fire and the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit, the unquenching fire, that helps us to stand for Christ. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and disciples in the form of tongues of fire, thus, the second dimension of the salvific mission of Christ was fulfilled.
However, being an authentic follower of Christ is impossible without God’s grace. To welcome his Good News, we need his grace. Jesus says that he has come to bring division rather than peace. Through the Prophet Micah, the Lord already prophesied this situation: “For the son treats the father with contempt; the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household.” (Mic. 7:6) This opposition needs not be from rulers alone but can be from one’s own family members, as son against father, father against son, daughter against mother, mother against daughter, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law etc.
These words of Jesus depict the resistance that was there in the initial days of Christianity. The family members who did not receive baptism and acknowledge their faith in Christ became stumbling blocks for the other members of the family who received baptism. It was not a phenomenon that happened in the first century. It happens even today, especially when someone from a family that does not follow Jesus as their way, might not be welcomed and accepted by the family or the community etc.
In such situations, what should be our response? In the second reading, taken from the letter to the Hebrews, we see we are called to imitate Jesus, who endured the cross, despising its shame to enter into his glory. Similarly, we should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and move forward in our faith journey. The first reading presents to us the hardships of the prophet Jeremiah, who was thrown into the cistern by the princes. In spite of his hardships and discouragement, Jeremiah did not give up on his mission. He endured all the sufferings, trusting in the Lord.
Being an authentic witness of Christ in all the ages is quite challenging. We hear Christian persecution is happening in different parts of the world, especially in places like Nicaragua. We need to find consolation in the fact that Jesus already warned us. We should not be perplexed as though it is unknown to us. Even where there is no persecution, giving witness to Christ remains challenging, especially amidst a prosperous culture wherein all may not agree with the values that you uphold. As a result, you might be isolated and rejected. We need to be strengthened by getting deeply rooted in Christ, who has shown us his exemplary witness to the Father. We need to keep in mind that we are never alone in this journey he has given us His Holy Spirit as our source of strength to accomplish this journey and we can be sure that after this endurance, there awaits the glory.