25/09/2021 Reflection 1286 (Bro. Chrisvil Sequiera OP on Luke 9:43-45 )

Like us on Facebook at   / indiandominicans   write to us: [email protected] Website: www.dominicans.in An old saying goes like this, “where there is no pain, there is no gain”. Dear brothers and sisters, in today’s Word of God taken from Luke 9:43-45, Jesus makes a powerful sentence. Jesus had begun his ministry very successfully and was attracting many followers through his great healings, miracles, teaching, and preaching. The Gospel of the day starts with these lines, “all were astounded by the greatness of God and everyone was amazed”. Jesus could have become a hero or even a king in the eyes of the world, but here’s what Jesus said: "Dear disciples, Let these words sink into your ears, the son of man is going to be betrayed into human hands”. Surely, no one comprehended these words until the betrayal took place, but after the fulfillment of this prophecy, they were able to understand the hidden meaning of this text. It was, “My dear disciples, you too are going to fall into human hands because of bearing witness to my name and continuing my mission”. Initially, they were afraid and thus hid out of fear. It was only after the descent of the Holy Spirit that they became courageous to face Suffering and death. In fact, 11 of the 12 disciples received the Martyr’s crown of Glory; dying to the mortal, they became immortal. St Paul wonderfully describes the glory of Christ’s sufferings in Phil 2:8-9; “And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross. Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name which is above all names”. My dear brothers and sisters, the point is as simple as this: “Suffering is the royal highway to heaven”. If we suffer for the sake of Christ, we will receive its reward in heaven”. St Augustine, the great doctor of the church says, “God had only one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering”. Suffering is the mark of the true Christian. If we love Christ, we must be ready to suffer for him. On the Day of Judgment, he will ask us-“Did you carry your cross; then show me your wounds”. Not all of us will get a big heavy cross, but those small crosses will inevitably come our way. How do we respond to them? Do we even recognize them? So today, let us ask God to shower his Holy Spirit upon us, to come into our hearts and make us strong within, to prepare us to embrace sufferings for the glory of Christ. Let us make a firm decision to accept suffering without complaint, to enter through the narrow gate, and to walk the way of the cross. Though there are few who choose this path, there are many who have walked this road before. #dominicanmediamission #DOMINICANFRIARSINDIA