Suffering for Christ is not in vain (Friday, Week 18, Year II)

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The prophecy of Nahum is one of those Minor Prophets: described as “minor” because they are not lengthy or voluminous as the Major Prophets. In today’s first reading (cf. Nahum 1:15; 2:2; 3:1-3.6-7), Nahum prophesied or foretold the end of the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrian empire comprised parts of the present-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria); Nineveh (a city in the present-day Iraq) was its royal capital. It was a great empire that once terrorized the entire ancient world, destroyed many nations and carried so many into exile including the Jews. At those times, no people were more feared or hated than the Assyrians. They were the world power. 

However, in fulfillment of Nahum’s prophecy in today’s reading, under combined attacks from the Medes and the Babylonians, Nineveh was captured and destroyed in 612 and the famous old Assyrian empire came to a miserable end. I am sure there were great feelings of joy and celebrations in those nations and kingdoms that were victimized by Assyria, including Israel.

Probably, the Israelites might have thought that the destruction of the Assyrian empire was, for them, the end of terror, political sufferings, victimization and subjugation. However, later on in their history, Israel was ravaged, captured and politically enslaved by the Babylonian and Roman empires. 

We must not forget that all those events of captures, recaptures, intimidations, oppressions and so on were dotted with wars, acts of extreme violence, extreme sufferings and even death. History is laced with bitter narratives of wars and its attendant sufferings and death. Even in our time, the drums of war are still loud; sufferings are still very much intense and death is still inevitable. We may not need to be so much worried about sufferings and death. They are inevitable. The questions I may have to ask myself or be much more worried about are: IF I DO SUFFER, IS IT ON ACCOUNT OF MY STANCE WITH CHRIST, TRUTH OR RIGHTEOUSNESS? IF I MUST LOSE MY LIFE, IS IT FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST? “Losing my life for the sake of Christ” does not necessarily mean losing my physical life. The phrase becomes more meaningful when understood as putting to death anything that feeds the concupiscence (thoss very strong sinful desires) in us. And that is why Jesus said that “whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life FOR MY SAKE will find it” (Matt. 16:25). 
      

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