“Responding To Opposition”

by Fr. Clement, VC  |  01/28/2024  |  Weekly Reflection

Dear Family of God,

Most of you would agree me with that the world we live in today is becoming very polarized. And, we are witnessing the same concern here in our beloved country. In a deeply polarized society, people constantly attack each other. I guess some of you deal with this every day, especially if you are very active in social media. But as Christians, we can’t get caught up in this and live like the people of the world. In Romans 12:1, St. Paul admonishes us, “Not to be conformed to the standards of the world.…” There is the need then to constantly examine our conscience. How do we respond to attacks or opposition? Or how have we been responding to opposition?

Some of us respond to opposition mostly with bitterness. When we allow the situation to consume us and distract us from our own personal transformation, we are responding with bitterness. When it becomes very personal and we wish harm to those who oppose or attack us, we are responding with bitterness. In this regard, I must acknowledge that I, too, have been tempted. I have wished that something bad happen to those people killing Christians in Nigeria rather than praying for their conversion. We can do better.

Another unhealthy way we respond to opposition is by ignoring it. That is cowardice. The Christian is supposed to be a man or a woman of courage. St. Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “You have not received a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of courage and power.” We can’t be indifferent in the face of evil. We must face opposition with courage and love.

The evil in our world is way beyond the physical realm. If we believe that the devil has something to do with it, then we must fight smart. To stop evil, we must do it with wisdom and courage. We must be proactive, especially in the realm of politics. And we must put Christ and His kingdom first in the way we engage in politics. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.”