“Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” (Luke 12:49-50)

The major theme for this 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time focuses on the heroic manner that we should live out our Catholic faith, religious convictions and principles, and demonstrate it in our daily lives, even if by doing so it would result in our martyrdom, pain and suffering, or turn our life upside down.

The word hero comes from Greek that means “protector” or “defender” or “to safeguard.” A hero (heroine in its feminine form) is a person who in the face of danger combats adversity through ingenuity, courage or strength and performs great deeds or selfless acts for the common good instead of the selfish classical goal of wealth, pride and fame. The antonym of hero is villain. 

Christian heroes are those who practice heroic virtues, a requirement for beatification in our Catholic Church. Heroic virtues are: faith (confidence in God), hope (unflagging perseverance), charity (loving union with God and neighbors), prudence (gift of counsel, a clear insight into right and wrong conduct), justice (gives everyone his due), fortitude (fulfills our duties despite obstacles), and temperance (restrains us when passions urge us to do what is wrong). 

Our Catholic faith is often counter-cultural because it comes from God and not from the world. To express our Catholic faith while living in this world creates unavoidable conflicts and problems. Therefore, we need to have courage to stand up and defend our Catholic faith, religious convictions, practices and principles, so that the Kingdom of God can be established on earth, and the light of Christ can dispel the darkness of the world.

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to practice heroic virtues of our Christian faith, to imitate Christ and do the works of mercy, to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God.  

How can we help each other practice heroic virtues, be more courageous in following Jesus Christ to implement His teaching in our lives?

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.