In the Days of Adversity

One Sunday morning, the church which is jam-packed with  two thousand parishioners who attentively listen to the homily of the Bishop were sidetracked when all of a sudden there were two men came in through the back door of the church.  They looked like gangsters on their black coats and black hats.  The people were terror-stricken when one of the two men walked through the rostrum. The other guy followed and simultaneously pulled a gun under their coats. One of them grabbed the microphone and  shouted, “Everyone who is ready to swallow a bullet for Jesus, you may remain in your seats!”

  
Everyone panicked to leave the church which emptied the pews, from the nuns who occupy a row to the Offertory Collectors,  down to the parishioners followed by the Altar Servers, Choir, the Assistant Parish Priest and the Lay Ministers.

After the commotion, running and dreadful screaming, the church was left with 12 people sitting on the pew together with the Bishop who remained unmoved. The gatecrashers put their guns away and gently spoke to the clergy, “All right Bishop, the hypocrites have already disappeared.  You may continue with your sermon now.”
                    

See!  How many of us remain faithful with Jesus not only in the comforts of our homes but up to the time when we step out of our individual homes? 

The truth about it is, human by nature is disobedient which is not God’s creation but of man being distracted from doing good because either of peer pressure, influence of the environment or not properly taught by the virtue of obedience.  We learned from the disobedience of the past which we pass on to the present generation, which the latter hands on next to them than breaking the malady which seems like a shadow that stokes every minute. Perseverance of good values should not stop to where we fall but suppose to begin to unleash our remaining strength where we are cornered by the temptation to break the rules.

Mark 13:12-13 Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

Because of this, everyone could not efface adversities as its consequence, not to put us down but to shape one's character beautifully. There may be possibility that one has been behaving the way God wants it to be from the start up to this time but still undergoes different persecutions which God allows, not as a sadistic initiative, but because it helps one to be well-rounded than to be judgmental to the imperfection of others but to be compassionate and influential which can be a conduit for others to be inspired to do the same until it become viral to the community.

In whatever stage we are in at the moment whether in good shape or bad form are always an opportunity which teaches a better understanding of how life’s behavior should be, and an opportunity to discern rather to complain. The present is always creative helping us to ponder the question, "What is it that God wants me to do," "What else could I do more to make it more flawlessly?"

There are instances that we tend to be demanding before God by complaining "Why?" with a follow up grumbling of “You’re unfair, Lord!” even we know for ourselves that the question should be addressed directly on us, "Why have I done these mistakes?" Others would say, "I don't deserve this," "Why did You let this to happen?"

Ezekiel 18:25-28 You say, "The LORD'S way is not fair!" Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Looking at it on the deeper level, whether you are in a most tragic situation, God never control our minds. We're all given the freewill to think, plan, decide and act responsibly. There are times that we suffer because of the action made by others and there are times that what we suffer today echoes on what we have done wrong in the past which we have not corrected until today.

No matter how heavy the burden is, there's always a grace to one who fall on his knees to face God, "Lord, I've sinned against YOU and against men. Please forgive me" Before we knew it, the power of love is within us again which tosses us to refresh and survive, to fill up the missing links that we have avoided, to repair misdeeds, to be completely dependent towards God again.

Proverbs 14:14 The scoundrel suffers the consequences of his ways, and the good man reaps the fruit of his paths.