In today’s Gospel we hear of the doubts many people harbored against Christ. Jesus’ three years of public ministry were not easy. Of course He performed many miracles and convinced many people of the Gospel of Truth but, many people derided Him and He was faced with an immense amount of skepticism. If our mission is to continue to carry out Christ’s earthly mission – that is, to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth – then we should expect to face the same criticism and doubt from others that Christ did. If we are to authentically and whole-heartedly seek holiness, we must first listen to the word of God. He speaks to us through the word and actions of His Son in the Gospel and continues to speak to us in our hearts. It is His voice that should guide our thoughts, words, and actions. By listening to God’s voice and following His Will, we will serve as witnesses of truth to all those we encounter. Like Christ in His own mission from the Father, we are called to share the Good News with a humble heart and willing spirit. I think today’s Gospel is reminding us that sometimes that will mean confronting critics who look at the Gospel with contempt. We must, however, remain steadfast in our love for God and His Word so, like Nicodemus, we can continue defending Christ and the Gospel.
The Gospel antiphon for today is “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance”. Even in this short verse from Luke, we are reminded that it is only through perseverance in our mission of evangelization that we can reap a rich harvest.
May we have the courage to hear God’s word, keep His word, and share His word with all those we encounter.
Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.
Feature Image Credit: Francesco Alberti, https://unsplash.com/photos/Rw84wwX5b2Q
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