Photo by Miguel A. Amutio on Unsplash
Proclaim the word. These are the words of an evangelist, one who is committed to the proposition that knowing Jesus is more important than anything else.
But what does it mean to know Jesus? What exactly does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus? It can be too easy to say I believe in Jesus, or even I believe in God, without there being any change in one’s life if they did not believe in Jesus or believe in God.
This is why Saint Paul says what he says. Proclaiming the word is hard. People who speak to inspire others can be too tempted to simply tell people what they wish to hear. When living the gospel becomes too hard, we look for easier ways to adjust our life.
But if we really believe knowing Jesus and living as he wants us to live leads to eternal life, then for it to be authentic we share it with others. We must.
But to do so is not easy. How often does the gospel share with us the words of Jesus that his followers will be persecuted? How often does Saint Paul describe proclaiming the gospel as a hardship?
Are you willing to bear the hardship proclaiming the gospel entails? Am I? We know this is only possible with God’s grace. Only with the help of God is it possible for us to have a relationship with Jesus. Only with the help of God is it possible for us to witness to the gospel in a compelling way for others to believe.
What will you do for the gospel today? Will you pray for someone who needs it? Will you pray for greater justice in our society? Will you pray for someone who holds opinions you sharply disagree with? Will you stand up for the outcast, the poor, the oppressed?
Let us pray.
Dear Jesus, we are reminded again and again that to proclaim you means hardship. All over the world we see the martyrs of today killed for their beliefs. Help us to hold firm in our belief especially when it is hard. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Music: Cheezy Piano Medley by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4833-cheezy-piano-medley
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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