[stephenkhoo]

WITHSTANDING THE TRIALS OF LIFE AS WITNESSING TO CHRIST

SCRIPTURE READINGS: DN 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28; LK 21:12-19

The trials which Jesus predicted that His disciples would face are surely not the kind of trials we face today. Very rarely will Christians today be brought before kings and governors to justify their faith in Jesus. Yes, we will not be tried legally because of His name. Nevertheless, we cannot say that we are not on trial. In fact, as Christians we are now on trial before the world every day: from our relatives, our friends, colleagues at work, ministry members, even from people we do not know on social media. However, we are on trial not because of His name but because we are not living up to His name in which we professed. Yes, we are on trial in the sense that we might have to give an account of our faith in Jesus Christ. But most of all, we are on trial because of the way we live our lives; because our very lives prove whether we are just paying lips service to our confession of faith or whether that confession really springs from the depths of our being.

The question is what signs do we give to others concerning our faith in Jesus? This is the issue of both scripture readings today. In the first reading from Daniel, the handwriting on the wall prophesied to the Jews that Antiochus’ kingdom would soon collapse because the king had been found wanting in his commitment to bring about the rule of God in his kingdom. In similar ways, Jesus is asking us what kind of signs we are giving to testify that we are truly His followers. What kind of signs do we give such that people will know the power of His name?

The sign that we give to others that we are truly disciples of Jesus is when we exercise patient endurance in the face of trials and difficulties. It is when we are in such straits and still able to stand tall and confident in our faith in Jesus that people will find the person of Jesus credible. To have faith in Jesus in good times is something very easy. But to remain in faith in bad times, that is truly faith.

But how can one do it? Facing trials and difficulties, according to Jesus, is not a question of will power, or positive thinking or rational thinking. Indeed, He tells us that we need not worry about preparing our defense beforehand. In other words, we need not worry about what is ahead of us; the trials that we have to endure. We can leave it until the time comes, because Jesus tells us that when the time comes, He is going to give us words and wisdom which none of our adversaries can contradict.

What then could this wisdom be that even our opponents cannot defeat us? It is simply this: our inner experience and conviction of who Jesus is to us. Anyone who truly experiences Jesus in his life, understands the wisdom of His teaching, finds great meaning and life in following His way, will necessarily speak not from some acquired knowledge of Jesus and life, but he will be speaking from the depths of his authentic being.

And this depth that speaks through him is none other than the Spirit of Jesus Himself living in that person. That is to say, a person who has become intimately united with Jesus is no longer just calling out His name or talking about Jesus, but he becomes Jesus Himself in whom the Spirit of Jesus lives and acts through him.

Now when that happens, a man can live without fear of anyone. This is because he is true to himself. In fact to live or to speak otherwise would be to deny his authentic being. And it is in being true to oneself that one truly finds life; because life and self-knowledge or self-realization is almost synonymous. To be true to ourselves is to be true to the Spirit of Jesus living in us. Such a liberating experience will help us withstand even those who hate us and cannot fault us for what we are. Consequently, the words of Jesus is true, it is by our patient endurance that we will save our lives – not so much in the physical sense but in the holistic sense. Real life is not so much concerned with what is physical but what is spiritual.

Yes, a courageous witnessing for Jesus requires that we imbibe His Spirit, His Spirit that will help us to be true to ourselves; for it is only when we are true to ourselves that we will be faithful to the end, both to ourselves and to God. By so doing, we will save our lives because we are what we are.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh