Jesus speaks of persecution, imprisonment, betrayal and hatred from others. This was the lot waiting the disciples of Jesus. These words of Jesus proved true in the course of history. Bearing witness to Jesus and to his values in that culture meant being put on trial by religious and political authorities, leading to imprisonment and, sometimes, to death. Betrayal sometimes came even from the side of the family members and friends. The easiest and safest way for a believer was to keep the faith secret and private. But this was the idea of the Master. He spoke of bearing witness. He encouraged his disciples to perseverance and to a daring faith. He promised that He would never abandon them in those difficult moments and that He would ignite their minds with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. That is what we see in the lives of the apostles and of early Christians. They were common, mostly uneducated Individuals, yet the words of truth and wisdom that came out of their mouths were astonishing. Think about the preaching of Peter and of Stephen. Think about all those heroic martyrs who chose death than to denounce their faith. Where did they all get this courage from? It was out of the conviction that the Saviour would be with them that they were ready to risk their lives.
What does this tell us? We don’t just keep the faith in some kind of private space; we live the faith in a public way. “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Mathew 5:15). It is not an easy task to keep the light of faith burning, nor is it easy to stand for the values that Jesus taught. He will always provide the resources we need to remain faithful. Because the Lord is with us to support us, the trials and tribulations that come our way on account of our faith are an opportunity for us to bear witness to what we believe. The promise Jesus gives us is, ‘your endurance will win you your lives’.
✍️CB