Homily For Friday Second Week of Easter, 12th April, 2024

Readings: Acts.5:34-42; Ps.26; John 6:1-15

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

ARE YOU PREPARED TO FACE PERSECUTION WITH JOY?

 

Today the persecution account of the apostles of Jesus continues as the members of the Sanhedrin call for the council meeting to decide what to do with the apostles.

So at this council, as we have in our first reading, Gamaliel a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, suggested that the apostles should be left alone based on past experiences of those who claimed to be great but were letter perished when their leader had died, that what is happening now with the apostles might be the same. He advises them to have nothing to do with the apostle, that if their purpose or activity is from human origins it will soon perish. If not, they will not be able to destroy them without fighting God Himself. So they beat them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus.

 

However, instead of being depressed, the apostles left the court full of joy that they had been judged worthy of being beaten for the sake of the Name of Jesus. Here, they experienced the blessedness that Jesus had spoken of in the Sermon on the Mount when he said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people abuse you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven” (Matt 5:10-12).

 

Dear friends, are we prepared to face Persecution with joy? In any situation we find ourselves, we are called to bear witness to our faith in Christ, though this mandate may seem difficult in our world at this moment, just like in the time of the apostles the grace of God is sufficient for us. Therefore, let us not be afraid of witnessing our faith in the world, for God will surely protect us as He protected the apostles.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we proclaim your name to the world, especially in these difficult times, give us the grace to rejoice even in the midst of persecution, suffering, sickness or death. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the blessings, joy and favour of the Lord find their way into our lives and our families.