Sometimes the decisions we make and the beliefs we hold firm to can be unpopular. Others will disagree with us. Their reactions can be unexpected and disconcerting, and we can feel hurt and isolated. Differences in religious belief, of course, have led to conflict over many years. We only need to look at the pain and suffering in Israel, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. Aid to the Church in Need recently visited our parish to explain how they support Church communities in places of persecution.
John the Baptist, who was literally the lone voice in the wilderness, experienced this first hand. His fidelity to proclaiming the word of God ultimately led to his imprisonment and death. Yet his commitment to his faith and preparing a way for the Lord brought about a change of heart in many. It drew people closer to God and the person of Jesus, the way to salvation.
John’s call to repent, one of the key messages of the Advent season, reminds us that holding firm to our faith is not a matter of being stubborn. It is a call to humility, to discerning God’s will for us and being open to all that it brings. It is a call to courage, but not to conflict. A call to purpose, but not to popularity. A call to surrender, but not to silence. Only then are we truly willing to let God’s work be done in us.
Do I hold firm to proclaiming the word of God, despite the challenges, even the opposition?
Published in our parish bulletin, Carmel, 8 December 2024
Liturgy 