In the world of marketing, the biggest thing you sell to potential consumers or buyers is how life is going to be easier for them after they buy your product. You persuade buyers that the product you are proposing to them is the best thing that has ever happened in their lives! We hear the message coming through that says “If you buy this lawn mower, you will never have to work the rest of your life!” “If you call this law firm your case is almost won!” “If you buy this car, you will barely have to pay for gas or maintenance!” Essentially, marketers sell to their would-be customers, convenience, comfort, ease, enjoyment, and winning!
Today in the gospel however, we hear Jesus’ market his mission and the call to discipleship quite differently. He is brutally honest with his would-be followers by letting them know that following him was not going to be easy. His mission and call were NOT a call to a life of ease, or comfort, or enjoyment, or advancement. His was going to be a life of hardship, persecution, and even death. He told His would be followers that beware of people, for they will hate you, rise up against you, hand you over to courts, they will scourge you, they will persecute, and in some cases even kill you for my sake. Going by our contemporary marketing standards, this would be one of the worst marketing plans for winning followers!
A Desire for a Heroic Life
However, if you come to think of it, there was wisdom behind the Lord’s honesty. History has consistently taught us that deep down in the human heart, people have a desire to live a heroic life. The desire to live a heroic life amidst challenging circumstances is the impulse that has been appealed to by kings, prime ministers, presidents, religious leaders, and leaders of social movements at critical times in human history.
History is full of people who put aside personal comfort, ease, convenience, and even personal safety, and lived for something higher than themselves for which they even paid a price. That is the example we see in the lives of the apostles, the saints, and leaders of social movements that aspired to improve human conditions. They put their beliefs, their nation, their families, or their God ahead of personal convenience. The invitation to a heroic life is what they lived and invited others to live up to.
In our gospel today, the Lord is inviting us to consider living a heroic life, to live with courage and give courageous witness to His mission and whatever vocation he has called each one of us.
A Call for Courageous Witness
Question: In what small ways can I live with a little more bravery or courage as a sign of witness to my faith? It can be as small as wearing your rosary or identifying as a practicing Catholic. It can be as small as putting a holy card of a saint next to your work computer. It can be as small as having the courage to invite a neighbor or a co-worker to join you for Sunday worship. Courageous witness comes in different versions. Let us reflect on what the Lord is asking each one of us or as a family or a community.
In this Mass, May the Lord increase our love for Him. May He renew our faith. May He make us brave so that we live His mission and our vocations in ways that give witness to Him. Amen.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Fred's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
