Lk. 21: 5-19
It is quite natural to give up something when we encounter difficulties of various sorts. When we study history, we realize that most people fall into this category of giving up easily and a few, who in spite of their difficulties carried on with hope. Today when we look back, all those who gave up are forgotten in history However, all those who persevered are honoured as heroes.
Dear friends, today I invite you to the life story of Kayla Muller, an American human rights activist. She was a member of the Ecumenical Church. She always felt an inner call to encounter Christ in the suffering humanity. After her graduation, she dedicated her life to the service of the marginalized. She worked in India for the welfare of Tibetan refugees and also continued her service in France, Israel etc. She came across the tragic stories of women in Syria whose life was in utter turmoil, she was moved with compassion and decided to alleviate their suffering through her service.
Unfortunately, she was captured by ISIS and had to undergo bitter experiences under their captivity. The then ISIS leader Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi himself molested and tortured her repeatedly. In the end, she had the opportunity to free herself by denying her faith and embracing Islam. However, she courageously denied this golden opportunity in order to preserve her faith and embraced death. The ISIS officials themselves testified to her faith witness and said that Kayla was always pleasant in the midst of all their tribulations.
The story of Christianity is all about perseverance. As we read in history, there were rampant persecutions against Christianity in the first few centuries, and sporadic events down through the centuries in different parts of the world. Many gave up their faith in the midst of turbulent persecution; nevertheless, many persevered in their faith, even at the cost of their life. ‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity.’ It is not an exaggerated statement but a truth carved into the heart of the history.
It is good to think of the reasons that made Christians persevere in faith even in the midst of bloody violence. Sometimes, we may take the Christians of the first century for granted, thinking that they were very courageous, and forgetting the fact of their own fears and worries for life. First and foremost, they deeply trusted in the fact that Christ has risen and he is alive. They never doubted the words of Jesus. They were quite sure that they are accompanied by the Holy Spirit. Jesus had already told them that it would be the Spirit of God who would be defending them so they need not worry about the content of the speech in front of the authorities.
Jesus never hid the fact of this persecution from them. Jesus openly told them that in his name they would be hated and betrayed by their own kindred. All these factors mentioned by Christ became a reality. They had to pay a big price to remain as witnesses of Christ. Anyhow, they persevered in their struggle to remain faithful to Christ. When we look back and analyze, it is quite clear that it is not the human strength that empowered them to withstand the persecution but the Holy Spirit, the helper promised by Jesus. Their faith was so great, even the moment of death became an awaited moment for them because it was a moment of encountering Jesus face to face and experiencing his immense love.
As we meditate on this passage, let us be sure that the persecution that Jesus foretold to his followers will continue till the end of times. There are conscious efforts to eliminate Christianity from its own cradle itself. Let us be generous enough to accompany and support all who profess Christ, in these difficult moments. Let us accompany them with our conscious prayers, that by drawing strength from the witness of the first Christian community, they may be prsevered in hope, and keep alive the gift of faith.