We Must Be Strong As One Body In Jesus

            My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we must be strong as one body in Jesus Christ.  Because our life in Christ is from God in heaven, we will, as a people of God, always be in contrast to the powers that root themselves solely in the things of this earth.

            In the 20 centuries since Jesus walked this earth, an estimated 70 million faithful have died for their faith.  In the last century alone, 45.5 million (65%) of the 70 million martyrdoms occurred.  This should set us on the edges of our chairs – open our eyes, and cause us to pause.

            Yes, we live in a country that has been relatively free of persecution – founded by people who were escaping oppression and mistreatment – yet we see a soft persecution that has weaved its way into our nation’s fabric. God cannot be spoken of in our schools.  The media continues to contradict the values that God has set before us.  We continue to see our religious freedoms challenged.

            We, as a Christian people, have goals in this life that must be separate from the goals of this world. Our reward and ultimate treasure is in our building up of the Church so that we and others might be able to fully walk toward the gates of heaven. Our ultimate goals are not power, wealth and personal gratification at the expense of others.  Rather, they are service and the gratification of knowing that we have shared in Christ’s mission to proclaim the kingdom of God and to lead others into a closer union with Christ Jesus.

            We begin with ourselves as we reflect on the goals of our lives and how those bring us closer to our ultimate goal of reaching our heavenly reward.  We move to our families and close friends, proclaiming this message of salvation. 

            We become mirrors of Christ in our workplaces, parishes and communities.  We work in the political realm in our state and federal governments to ensure that the religious freedom that we enjoy will also be a reality for our children and grandchildren. 

            We live in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in nations that openly persecute those who proclaim Christ as savior.  We target our donations and our prayers in very specific ways that build up the Church’s mission to serve the poor (keeping in mind that poverty can be experienced financially as well as spiritually, emotionally and physically) across the globe in a concerted effort to live out the beatitudes.

            We live in a small portion of the world; and yet when we work as one body, we can have a tremendous impact on the kingdom of God.  This is our time.  This is our watch.  This is our Christian duty that flows directly from our Baptismal call. 

If we do all of these things with the fervor of the martyrs and saints who have gone before us, we will begin to see a turn of the tides so great that those who seek to abolish the Christian message will be forced to sit up on the edges of their chairs and take notice of the army of God that stands before them.

            Be strengthened in prayer, and be the strength of Christ Jesus for others who waiver in the face of such odds. Be ever mindful that our words and deeds are the examples of hope that the souls of many long to hear and see.  Call on the martyrs, those multitudes who gave their very lives for the glory of God, to give us the strength; that we too might give our lives for that same greatest of glories.