Day 12 of Ignatian Reflection

July 12, 2014 – Reflection on the Gospel Reading: Mt. 10:24-33

Courage under Persecution

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Reflection:

We are all called to be disciples; that is, to be closely like our teacher, Jesus Christ. (Mt. 10:24 -25)  To be Christ like is one of the 5 C’s we hope to develop in us. And one of the biggest challenges of a disciple of Christ is to be able to proclaim the Good News by way of our words and actions; by the way we live our life. To be like Christ is also tantamount to be persecuted, to suffer and to die on the cross. These words, persecution, suffering and death on the cross are rather heavy and strong words.  It is always our human tendency to evade these things to happen to us. But if we just look closely and come to think about it, God in all His love, goodness and mercy will lead us always back to Him because He loves us very much. We are not of this world. We belong to God.

Why should we be afraid to suffer for Christ?  Take courage and have faith. “Do not be afraid” has been reiterated three times in today’s reading.

1.     So do not be afraid of them. Everything now covered up will be uncovered and everything now hidden will be made clear. ( Mt. 10:26)  

2.     Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. (Mt. 10 :28)

3.     So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ( Mt. 10: 31) Can you not buy not two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head is counted. (Mt 10 :29-30)

We have been reassured three times:

------- That God will there to guide us in times of confusion, doubt and not knowing what to do or which is the truth.

------ That our soul is more far more important than our body because we will be in eternal happiness with God in all His glory in heaven.

------ That God our Father is very protective of us and sees to it that no harm will come to us.

In the  2^nd  Letter of  St. Paul to Timothy , he said, “ So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me as for being his prisoner; but with me bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called to be holy - not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace.”

So we are all called to a purpose and it is by the grace of God that He will come to completion what He has started in us.

Ignatian Value : Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam  ( All for the Greater Glory  of God)

Reflection by:

Ardenia Arden H. Badilla