“Being true and faithful, rather than trying to be popular!”

(Based on Exod 32:7-14 and Jn 5:31-47 – Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent)

On a winter’s evening in 1955, a 42-year-old African-American woman named Rosa Parks…
… tired after a long day of work as a seamstress
… boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama to get home.

She paid her fare and took an empty seat in the area of the bus

A law existed to segregate bus passengers by race…
… the front of the bus was reserved for white citizens
… the seats at the back for black citizens.

But it had also become a custom that bus drivers would instruct a black passenger to give up their seat…
… if there were no “white-only” seats.

As the bus filled up, the bus driver demanded that she give up her seat.

Rosa Parks could have stood up and walked away quietly.

She could have ‘chosen comfort over conflict.’
But instead, she gripped the seat, looked straight ahead, and simply said, “No.”

That one word cost her everything…
… her job, her safety, her peace.

But it also sparked a movement that changed history – The Civil Rights Movement

Later, she said, “I was just tired of giving in.”

Life often pressurises us ‘to conform – to give in” – to what is convenient rather than what is true.

Do we have the courage to remain steadfast in our convictions, even when the world pushes back?

Christian life is a constant challenge between two aspects: Being Popular or being Right!

Can we be Christians…
… who value one’s integrity for Christ’s sake, than to compromise one’s principles and turn popular?
… who give priority to being honest for the Lord’s honour, than to dilute one’s ethics and gain cheap fame?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus who stood firm and rock-solid, in his mission commitment, even in the face of opposition, indifference and apathy from the Jews.

The context of today’s Gospel Passage – Jn 5:31-47 – is the aftermath of the Healing of the Crippled Man by the pool of Bethesda, on the Sabbath Day (Jn 5:1-18)

This incident had sparked a rage of opposition against Jesus…

He was persecuted because the act of healing was done on the Sabbath (Jn 5: 16)
His defense caused the Jews to kill Him, because Jesus equated Himself with God (Jn 5:18)

There was a strong wave of antagonism and hostility, against Jesus…
… that was pressurizing Him to compromise His teachings
….that was coercing Him to dilute His principles

But Jesus stood firm and rock-solid, in his mission commitment, even in the face of opposition, indifference and apathy from the Jews.

Jesus therefore presents before the Jews, witnesses which would testify to Him, to His Divinity.

He uses the language of a courtroom – “witnesses” – to prove His credibility as the Divine Person

Our Christian Life is a constant challenge…
… to let go of our values and principles
… to compromise on our efforts and mission works

We find in the Book of Exodus, how the people of Israel abandoned the ways of the Lord…
… and “made for themselves a molten calf… worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” (Cf. Exod 32:8)

So often, we also create “molten calves” of money, power, position, sinfulness…
… and worship and give our priority to them!

We are quick in forgetting the many blessings and mercies of God…
… and turn away from the commandments of God!

We need to imitate our Blessed Lord…
… Who was unwilling to let go of His Commitment and Dedication to the Mission

Let us seek the Grace to remain ever uncompromising in our Christian Life.
… to stand for God and His Kingdom
… to live to share His Love and Mercy

Written on the stone pavements of a street in a remote village are the following words:
“One of the evils of this modern day, is the scarcity of men and women in places of leadership who are willing to speak their convictions…
… at the risk of popularity!”

Yes… let us dare to show this “spirit of leadership” like Jesus our Master…
… by seeking to be true and faithful, rather than just be popular!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Ten Commandments – The Fourth Commandment – The Family in God’s Plan

A man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children, form a family.
This institution is prior to any recognition by public authority, which has an obligation to recognize it.

It should be considered the normal reference point by which the different forms of family relationship are to be evaluated. (CCC # 2202)