John 18
Sometimes I find statements of Jesus that make me wonder if I have ever heard them before. I feel almost embarrassed because I must have read them before. In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks this to his disciples: “In the world, you will have trouble.” He is telling us that we will have trouble! This wouldn’t be a statement a missionary would pick up for people who have never heard the gospel – the Good News. It sounds exactly the opposite – bad news!
But Jesus indeed spoke this way. He does not speak with sugar-coated flattery. He speaks the truth. And the truth often hurts. But when we know the truth, we find our hearts in peace. This is what he also says in today’s gospel: “I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me.” Jesus foretold his disciples what it’s like to be his true followers, not only by words but by his example – being abandoned by everyone, even beloved friends. Christ was left alone by his disciples at his Passion. The world rejected Christ, the light of the world. And this would be the destiny of Christians – being rejected and hated by the world, even by their beloved ones.
Yes, this is true. I believe anyone who has tried to be faithful to the Lord knows this truth. How many of our family members and friends make fun of us and laugh at us because we speak of Jesus Christ? How many Christians have to keep silent about Christ to keep their jobs?
However, these rejections and hatred should not catch us unguarded, for Jesus has already told us clearly about the destiny of Christians in this world. When we already know the world will not welcome us, we don’t have to be frustrated and saddened. Rather, we are confirmed of our identity as the body of Christ. When we find ourselves mocked and shunned away by the world, we know we are on the right track of the narrow and difficult way.
At the end of the gospel today Jesus speaks to us: “but be brave; I have conquered the world.” At any moment, on any day, when we speak of Jesus, we know we won’t be welcome by the world. But this cannot let us down. Christ has already defeated the world by his death. It is our turn to defeat it by our death to ourselves and the world.
