The beheading of John the Baptist and the - to our ears - frivolous circumstances surrounding it must have left quite an impression on the early followers of Jesus. They had come to know well the cost of discipleship involved in following the footsteps of Jesus. The Church today also celebrates the martyrdom of St. Agatha who was cruelly tortured and finally killed for her faith. While martyrdom can sadden and anger us, it can also inspire us to commit ourselves to a more complete living of the gospel and inspire others to join us: the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity.
As we get to the end of the Letter to the Hebrews, the author moves from considering the importance of faith and perseverance in Christian life to encouraging readers to some concrete ways of living out their faith. The list includes hospitality, care for those in prison and those who are suffering, fidelity in marriage, placing trust in God rather than riches, and imitating the lives of persons of faith.
Somewhere there is a poster that says, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” The more I compromise my following of Jesus in order to hang on to the things of this world, the less likely it is that my discipleship will cost me anything. But it also means that I will not know the radiant joy of those who give their lives over fully to Jesus.
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Since its inception in 1997, Online Ministries has been blessed to have myriad members of the Creighton University community offer their personal reflections on the daily scripture readings.
