USQUE AD MORTEM!
This
is a story of two men. One chose to face certain death for love of the
God he came to know personally and believed in. The other chose to do
what he initially set out to do with conviction and commitment —
persecute the ragtag band of followers of the notorious Galilean. One
was a believer; the other a rabid persecutor.
The former was in the threshold of heroism and holiness, journeying
home to his reward. The latter was busy forging a career as a Pharisee, journeying along towards earthly success as a Roman citizen and as the quintessential Jew.
Both showed zeal, becoming what they decided they should be. Both “told it like it is,” mincing no words while accosting people who were not yet on their side.
Both had the makings of greatness. Both were once far off from the
saving truth. Stephen found that truth earlier than Saul, but both
eventually offered their lives for the same truth. Stephen, the first martyr, died by stoning; Saul, who later became Paul, died by beheading.
The two followed their Master and Lord, even “usque ad mortem” — that is, even to the point of dying cruel deaths, like the Lord.
Our Christian faith is full of tension and paradoxes. One of these
paradoxical truths is that fullness of life can only be achieved by
dying. In Easter, when we celebrate the new life Christ has brought by
rising from the dead, we speak of Stephen, of Paul, and of the seeming
utter defeat they experienced at the hands of those who would not
believe.
The two initially set out in pursuit of success in their own respective fields. That thirst for fullness was later transformed into passion for saving truth, and commitment to the God they loved — “usque ad mortem!”
Lord, receive my spirit! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
REFLECTION
QUESTION: We can all be heroes of faith. Have you made a commitment to
God to do all that you can to spread His Kingdom on earth?
Lord, grant me courage to follow You and to share Your love through the witness of my life.
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