Wednesday,
November 27, 2013
St. Maximus
First Reading: Dm 5:1-6, 16-17, 23-28
Gospel Reading:
Lk 21:12-19
Jesus said, “Before all this happens, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you; you will be delivered to the Jewish courts and put in prison, and for my sake you will be brought before kings and governors. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.
“So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to answer, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.
“You will be betrayed even by parents, and brothers, by relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death. But even though you are hated by all for my name’s sake, not a hair of your head will perish. Through perseverance you will possess your own selves.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Betrayal is painful, and the pain is most excruciating if coming from a beloved. The following story illustrates the point. A wife betrayed her innocent husband. On the day she decided to abandon him she went to the bank to empty the family’s joint bank account. Because she was withdrawing a large amount the bank manager informed the husband by phone about the withdrawal. The bank manager couldn’t believe it when the husband allowed the withdrawal because he himself was aware of the rift between the couple. When the husband was asked later to explain his decision, he said, “After the greatest pain of betrayal, what pain is there that I could not bear for the sake of my love for her?”
Those who follow Christ can expect betrayals of a similar kind. In today’s Gospel Jesus said, “You will be betrayed even by parents, and brothers, by relatives and friends…” Despite this warning Jesus still attracted and continues to attract followers. Something greater must be at stake, a greater value that makes one bear the risk of betrayal even by loved ones. This value is God himself. This notwithstanding, we have reasons to fear persecutions of this magnitude because we are only human. That is why we should not lose sight of the promise of grace. God closely monitors our struggles and updates our merits.
Human weakness then is not a legitimate justification to evade sufferings because enough grace was infused upon us at baptism. Those who give in to human weakness and stop struggling are guilty of betrayal of the grace that God made available at our baptism. Betrayal is painful, and the pain is most excruciating if coming from a beloved. Since God loves us like no other, the pain inflicted upon God by that betrayal must truly be excruciating. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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