“Yet it is better for me to fall into your power than to sin before the lord. ”
The hero of today’s Old Testament reading voices the sentiment that we hope we all have when it comes to being falsely accused and facing death.
It’s an old story — but one that still plays out today in a world that tolerates persecution of a people based on their faith, their skin color or the things they share on Twitter and Facebook.
What will you say when someone questions you about being a Catholic? A Christian? A Muslim or Jew?
History repeats itself.
Time after time, era after era, those of us who choose to believe in God are put to the test. We are faced with ridicule, discrimination – and in some places, death.
We are given a choice, usually, to recant our beliefs. To turn away from our God. To do what it takes … to go along to get along.
How do we respond? How would you respond? What was going through the minds of those beheaded by terrorists armed with knives and video recorders?
Read today’s first reading. It ends well for our hero, but I would submit that it would have ended equally well for her if there was a different ending. She had been unjustly condemned. She chose wisely to follow her faith, her God.
We all face the potential to be unjustly judged, tried and condemned for the things we hold dear to our heart.
The key to our salvation is to follow the Man who was so misunderstood in our Gospels and still misunderstood today.
Feeling persecuted? Take it like a man! Take it like THE man… the father, son and Holy Spirit who suffered for us and challenges us to follow Him on that same path.
How will you respond when that day comes?
