[stephenkhoo]

Scripture Reflections
Wednesday, 23 November, 2011, 34th Ordinary Week, Cycle 1
GOD’S FIDELITY TO US IN OUR FIDELITY TO HIM

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

While it is true that most of us would not be brought before kings and governors on account of our faith, it is nonetheless true that all of us will certainly have to face some forms of persecution. This is because the values of the gospel are alien and contrary to the values of the world. Living in this world does not make it easy for us not to be people of the world. Inevitably, we face an uphill task of not conforming to worldly values especially when we are living in a secular society. Many of us unfortunately succumb to the onslaught of worldly influence instead of remaining faithful to our beliefs and values.

Indeed, many of us find it extremely difficult to preserve our convictions when we are surrounded by an ocean of values so contrary to ours. And what is even sadder is that our persecutors are not necessarily our enemies, rather, they are our parents, brothers, relations and friends, and the least expected, our fellow Christians and Church members. If our persecutors are people that we have not much relationship with, we can easily ward off their influence and pressure. But when they come from our loved ones and those whom we respect most in the Church, then we often find ourselves powerless because we are so much a part of them.

Truly, cases of persecution from our loved ones and relatives abound. For example, some children are taught by their parents to cheat, to be selfish, to achieve, even if they have to use unscrupulous means. Some parents also encourage their sons or daughters to pursue careers that bring money and status, even though some of them might be drawn to social work, which does not pay well. Often they are belittled for their noble services to society; and when they try to advance themselves in their cause through study, they are told: “why bother when it pays so little!” Parents too have also obstructed their sons and daughters from joining the priesthood and religious life, simply because they want to safeguard their own interests of being taken care of in their old age. Indeed, we give the impression that only those who are doctors, lawyers, accountants or engineers are worthy of respect.

Of course children are not the only ones to suffer persecution. Sometimes, parents also suffer persecution from their children. Often their children, especially if they are the only child, would make burdensome and unnecessary demands on their parents. Just because their friends have the latest gadgets or branded shoes or clothing; they too must have them, even if their parents cannot afford such luxuries.

This does not mean that we should not be sympathetic to our children because they too encounter persecutions from their friends. Very often, children fear that they might be ostracized by their peers if they do not conform to the norms of the clique they belong to. They are pressurized to conform if they want to remain in the “in-group”, otherwise they are shamed as ‘squares’. Youths who lack self-identity would follow the crowd in case they are left alone without a support group.

Then there are persecutions that come from your own spouse. I know of some whose spouses are engaging in illegal activities or using illegal and immoral means to earn money. Some cheat their clients; others manipulate company accounts; still others try to win over their clients by offering them sexual favours and other forms of bribery. Besides these, many of them who entertain would drink and smoke heavily, often coming home drunk in the wee hours of the morning; sometimes getting involved in accidents. When their spouses challenge them and urge them to consider other means of bringing money home, they are often accused of trying to prevent them from advancing in their business or in their jobs or simply that they are restricting their freedom. Some spouses even prevent their loved ones from exercising their freedom to worship and practice their faith. This is the greatest sin, depriving someone of the freedom to worship God!

But the most unthinkable source of persecution comes from within the Church. In speaking the truth, we are attacked fiercely by those who are ignorant of the teachings of the Church or because we infringe on their vested interests in a particular movement, project or preference. Quite often, we are not only silenced by those in charge of us or by authorities for speaking the truth but even threatened, ridiculed and written off as traitors to the Church or disparagingly labeled as being conservative, fanatical or too orthodox. When our enemies are from within, we are left speechless and totally disheartened and discouraged.

In the light of such situations, what can we do? Are we to give in to them or do we continue to remain faithful to our beliefs and values? This is where the test of faith comes in. This is when we know whether we truly believe in what we believe or whether they are mere words repeated from some books or talks that we read or heard. Because if we do really believe in the gospel values imparted to us by Jesus, then we will be able to witness to Him. The question is how do we stand firm in our faith when we are caught in such kind of dilemma?

Firstly, in the reading from the book of Daniel, we are reminded that everything has its consequences. Those who disobey God would have to incur His wrath and punishment, in the sense that what we sow is what we reap. That was the case of King Belshazzar. He was giving a big party for his noblemen. But he was using the sacred vessels plundered from the Temple of Jerusalem. Furthermore, they were worshipping their “gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone” while drinking their wine from the sacred vessels.

Consequently, the writing is on the wall already for those who do evil and refuse to live in the truth. In the case of King Belshazzar, the writing “Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin” literally appeared on the wall, which Daniel interpreted as such: “The meaning of the words is this: Mene: God has measured your sovereignty and put an end to it; Tekel: you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting; Parsin: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.” According to Daniel, the party is over. The King had been found wanting in his responsibilities. Instead of using his authority and kingship for the good of his people and for the glory of God, he squandered them away for his own benefit. What King Belshazzar did was precisely what his predecessor did when the late King Antiochus raided the Temple of Jerusalem and desecrated it. By desecrating the sacred vessels from the Temple, King Belshazzar was repeating the same sin. Consequently, the judgment of God is that his kingdom, just like his fore-fathers, would be destroyed. His Babylonian kingdom would be taken over by the Persians. Historically, this happened when Darius, King of Persia gained control over Babylon.

Now what happened to King Belshazzar will also happen to us. Those of us who desecrate the Temple of the Holy Spirit in us; that is, those of us who are not faithful to the Truth of God in us; by worshipping our own gods of gold and silver, we too will also be destroyed. Those who live and work with evil will eventually be destroyed by evil. Cheaters, liars and scoundrels may seem to have the upper hand and might seem to be doing well, but their success is built on very weak foundations. A time will come for judgment and they will have to pay a heavy price for their actions. They might personally be destroyed, be killed or imprisoned; or their health might deteriorate or their conscience will prick them; or their loved ones will suffer on account of their folly. This is the harsh reality of life. Yes, the party will also soon be over.

Secondly, Prophet Daniel tells us that ultimately God is in control of history, be it religious, secular or economic history. The handwriting states, “God has measured your sovereignty and put an end to it.” Goodness and truth will triumph in the end. The ultimate word is not evil but grace. For those of us who are faithful to God and His values, we will be spared greater catastrophes. We will find great peace and consolation. We might not have golden vessels but we will have contentment because our clay vessels will be free of any kind of contamination that can poison our lives. The promise of Jesus that “not a hair of your head will be lost” is true because we will be spared from all anxieties and fears, which is the cause for the loss of peace in our lives. Yes, the loss of hair is symbolic of those who live their lives in constant anxiety and worry.

Thirdly, we are told there is no need to fear or even prepare ourselves for defence, since He will give us “an eloquence and a wisdom” that none of our opponents will be able to resist or contradict. Why is this so? If we believe in something that is true, we will speak from the bottom of our hearts. When we speak from the deepest level of our being, we are speaking from the purity of our heart, without any pretence. It is in this gut level that the Holy Spirit speaks to us and through us. Truth is not simply a question of reasoning but it is more an intuition. We know something is true because God who speaks to us in our conscience and who lives in us as His Temple, will help us to speak convincingly and totally. However, those who do not want to live in the Truth do not speak from their hearts. They use their minds and reasoning. That is why they easily fool themselves by rationalizing their actions and justifying themselves. Yet deep within them, they know that it is not the right thing to do. Not surprisingly therefore, they feel threatened by others who speak the truth from their hearts. They will then try their best to destroy and silence their opponents in order to protect their selfish interests.

But the real reason why Jesus tells us not to prepare our defence is simply because the truth is the truth. If something is true, it will naturally establish itself. The truth will be seen not simply by our words but by the events that will follow. Even if people do not believe our words or advice, they will see for themselves the reality of what we say in time to come. The fruits of our actions will be the proof that what we do is truly good. If our choices in life bring us true liberation, freedom and love for ourselves and our family, then we know that these works are from God. But if our choices in life break up our family, destroy our inner peace and freedom and joy, then we will suffer the fate of our short-sighted decisions. And then we will join King Belshazzar in his fate when even what he had was totally taken away from him. So says the handwriting, “your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.”

Yes, the choice is ours. People might hate us because we try to be faithful to the truth. But they hate us only because they do not see or simply do not want to see. Nevertheless, even when they hate us, this will only be temporary because the day their eyes are opened, they will be grateful to us for standing up to the gospel values which are the only true values in life. However if we lack the moral courage to stand up to the truth, then these same people will blame us later when things go wrong. They will hate us for not warning them. This is very true for those parents who fail to discipline their children when they are wayward or irresponsible. In sparing the rod, they destroy the future of their children. Later on when their children grow up and become failures in life, they will turn back on their parents for not guiding them. But those children whom we discipline might hate us now, but later on they will understand and then they will be eternally grateful to us. Indeed, our endurance, as Jesus tells us, “will win you your lives,’ and may I add, not simply yours, but your loved ones and the whole of humankind as well. For failing to watch over those placed under our care, our punishment will be double those who sinned under our care because we were silent when we have a duty to speak and do the right thing.