3rd Week of Easter 2018 - Wednesday - Hard times are good times

It seems strange that during this joyous easter season, we have these readings from the book of Acts about how the Church was being persecuted. Last week, we heard of how the apostles were thrown into jail for their Christian faith. Yesterday, the reading recounted the death of the first martyr, the deacon Stephen. Today’s reading picks up right where yesterday’s left off. With the death of Stephen a severe persecution broke out in Jerusalem, and Christians were scattered to the country side.
Why do we focus on imprisonment, suffering, martyrdom during this season of joy?

What we pay particular attention to this season is how the Christians joyfully endure these things. And the good God brings about through the perseverance and faith of the early Church.

Just as God brought about the greatest victory in history through the suffering and death of His Son, so too does God bring about great victory through the suffering and martyrdoms of His adopted sons and daughters, the early Christians.

You may have heard the saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, that’s exactly what Christians do in the face of persecution.

For what did we read about them doing today when the persecution scattered the Christians to the countryside? Though they were scattered, the Christians continued to work for the building up of the Church. Though the world tried to silence them, the Christians continued to preach. Though the world tried to cast them out, Christians continue to cast out unclean spirits. Though the world tries to wound them, Christians continue to heal the sick. Though the world tries to put them to death, Christians continue to bring souls to new, spiritual life through Jesus Christ.

Hard times are good times for Christians. Because God brings about goodness when we persevere in faith during those hard times. We show just how powerful our faith is when in the face of persecution we continue to preach and worship and praise God, that’s attractive, that’s something that souls open to Truth are drawn to.

So, we don’t lose hope when the world hates. We don’t compromise our faith because the world disagrees us with. Rather, we remain solid in our faith, trusting, as the Lord Jesus teaches in the Gospel today, that those who believe in Jesus and follow him will have eternal life and be raised on the last day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.