Martiri come Gesù - XII Domenica del T.O.

Today's Gospel has helped many martyrs. Martyrdom is the pinnacle of following Christ. Pope Francis declared that there are more martyrs today than at the beginning of the Church. Vatican II tells us that martyrdom should be everyone's desire, but it is only a reward for some. Why? Why must the Church always be martyred and encounter difficulties in the world? Jesus explains. "A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him." This means that the disciple must share the same destiny of suffering as his master; he cannot delude himself into thinking he can escape it. The first consequence of all this, the equality of the disciple with the master, is that he must have the courage to preach the Gospel with complete frankness, without being intimidated by the threats of opponents. It is true that Jesus' teaching also has a "hidden," "secret" nature, but this should not encourage timidity in the disciples' testimony: "Tell it in the light.... Preach it from the housetops." Only the Lord is to be feared, not men. The Gospel is prepared by the testimony of Jeremiah, who expresses his own fearlessness. He is the target of a plot: "Terror on every side!" But he shows himself full of courage because he is with the Lord and the Lord is with him. "The Lord is at my side like a mighty warrior." The martyrs have the courage to suffer death with the spirit of victors: they know that physical death is an opportunity for divine victory. The death of Jesus was the occasion of the greatest divine victory in all of history because by facing his death with love, he conquered it and reversed its meaning: it became the opportunity to found the new Covenant. In the Eucharist, we celebrate the foundation of this New Covenant in the death of Jesus. Jesus says, "Do not be afraid!" When persecution threatens, the temptation is great; we are spontaneously tempted to flee, to avoid persecution, and the simplest way is apostasy. "Whoever denies me before men, I will deny before my Father!" The bond with Jesus is the most important thing and must be defended with great courage. The martyrs had the hope of being recognized before the Father. Jesus reminds the martyrs that they are not alone. "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without my Father's will." We must not be afraid because trust in the Father frees us from all human fear. The knowledge that we are important in God's eyes and that He cares for us gives us strength and at the same time instills within us great joy. Martyrs suffer death without feelings of hatred. "Pray for those who mistreat you." Martyrs pray for their persecutors, like St. Stephen. Martyrdom does not harm people. One cannot speak of the martyrdom of suicides that cause the death of innocents; this is the case with suicide bombers. Seeking the death of others is not at all the desire of Christian martyrs. Today's liturgy frees us from the temptation to deny the faith and gives us the courage to bear witness to it.