(Please read the scripture passage before reading the homily.)
Would it not be nice if the risen Lord would speak directly to us? We have asked, “Why am I here? What good have I done? Why does it all seem so useless? Day in, day out: when will it ever end? What will tomorrow bring?” We are as full of questions as it seems we are full of hopelessness,
The Lord Jesus suffered and died. He went into the bowels of the earth and came back alive and strong. He speaks to us in this passage from the Gospel.
Just as they seized and persecute Jesus because of his testimony to the truth, so will they do to us. Nevertheless, despite all the apparent failures, not a hair on our heads will be destroyed. Jesus promised us the same treatment he received and the same resurrection to eternal life he enjoys now.
Luke’s community need this encouragement in their struggles to remain faithful in time of persecution from without and the pressures from within the community. Did they think that they had followed Christ into glory, without having to experience trials and difficulties? Did not Jesus suffer death, even death on the cross, before entering into his glory.
Do we celebrate victories in championship games unless the team has struggled against great opposition? Would we watch the World Series or the Super Bowl if the best team were playing a team from our local elementary school? What would the glory of striking out 27 batters in a row or of scoring 150 touchdowns then? No, our sports’ classics pit the two best in contest to produce the best of the best.
It is so for us Christians as well. Without a great contest, there would be no great victory. This is the message of the risen Christ for us today, that there will be struggle, adversity and apparent defeats, but there will be victory to those who persevere. All this will happen because the Lord Jesus himself has gone before us and will give us his strength and his Spirit. We shall struggle, but we shall overcome, and the victory will be ours through Christ the Lord.
The Lord encourages us, and not only the ancient Christians, in this reading.