Reflection on Luke 21:12-19

Reflection on Luke 21:12-19

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us to expect persecution until the end of time: They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors. But how long will this persecution last? It will continue until Jesus returns in glory.  

When you look at the lives of the saints, it was not a serene life; it was not a life devoid of worry, threat, discomfort, irritations, betrayal, disappointments and persecutions. But somehow we have been made to believe that believing in God and in Jesus will guarantee us lots of roses with no thorns, lots of good things and everything going well as we want it. But there is nothing in the Sacred Scripture and tradition that supports such an idea. 

The saints had difficulties. The saints were persecuted. The saints were lynched. The saints were called awful names. The saints were misunderstood. The saints did not have a very rosy lives. But in all their difficulties and struggles, they were able to find courage to keep moving forward. They did not allow the trials of this present time knock them off their target. They understood that the sufferings of this present life is nothing compared to the glory that await them in the Kingdom. Like the saints, do not be discouraged by what you face today. Jesus said in today’s Gospel that By your perseverance you will secure your lives. Heaven is our target. To spend eternity with God is our target. Everlasting life in glory is our target. Do not let any irritation, frustration, disappointment, trial, difficulty, etc distract you or derail your march to heaven. 

God bless you!