May 21, 2010
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
By Melanie Rigney
(Festus said in referring Paul’s case to King Agrippa,) “His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive.” (Acts 25:18-19)
As far as the east is from the west, so far have our sins been removed from us. (Psalms 103:12)
Peter was distressed that (Jesus) had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:17-19)
Piety
Lord, talk is cheap. Please help me to deepen my relationship with You so that when You ask me to follow, I will do so without hesitation.
Study
It isn’t easy being a follower of Christ in today’s world.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3052&Itemid=1) recently asked that thirteen nations be named “countries of particular concern” for engaging in or tolerating violations to freedom of belief. Another twelve countries were placed on the USCIRF’s watch list, one step below designation as a country of particular concern.
Among the USCIRF’s observations:
• As many as 12,000 Nigerians have been killed in sectarian violence since 1999, 500 of them in clashes earlier this year
• 4,300 Christians fled the Iraq city of Mosul after 10 Christians were targeted and killed in the days leading up to the March 2010 national elections
• Forty Catholic bishops are imprisoned or missing in China
• North Korea’s policies have resulted in a total lack of Catholic clergy in that country
And yet, Christians in those countries and the others cited by the USCIRF go on living their faith every day as best they can. That’s because as difficult as that can be, there’s really no alternative once we truly, with all our heart and soul, say “Yes” when Jesus asks if we love Him. We are led places we never expected to go.
Sometimes, those places are to martyrdom. Sometimes, they’re to a ministry in the arts that we never desired. Sometimes, they’re to a vocation, ordained or otherwise, that takes us out of our element. One sure thing is that if we say “Yes” and agree to follow Him, God will take us out of what we perceive is our comfort zone—and into a place of joy and love and serenity beyond our power to understand.
Action
Consider writing a letter to the president, secretary of state, or one of your congressional representatives in support of the USCIRF’s recommendations. Or, contribute to Catholic Relief Services (http://crs.org/) efforts in one of the countries cited by the USCIRF.
