WANT TO RAISE YOUR CHRISTIAN PQ?

As a young brother in formation, Dominican sisters would bid me farewell almost always with the exhortation "Persevere, brother!" I never knew what perseverance meant until I met one bump after another on my road to being religious. Despite the difficulties and discouraging results of my efforts in my formation, I did not quit. Through God's grace and mercy, I persevered in my formation.

Perseverance is the steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. A person's PQ (Perseverance quotient) defines whether he attains the goals he sets, more than his IQ and EQ. Intelligence identifies objectives, but it is perseverance that will realize them. To a persistent and determined person, no obstacle can intimidate him.

  

In the gospel, Jesus sends his apostles with the mission to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven. It was no easy task. Jesus forewarned them: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. You will be met with oppositions and persecution for the message you proclaim. Two thousand years after, the admonition of Christ is still very much true. The Christian faith that Jesus set before us as our life goal is still met with oppositions, intimidations, temptations, and persecutions from the wolves of materialism, worldliness, and from Satan himself.    

How are we to persevere in living out, and preaching our faith? When push comes to shove, how are we to be Christians? We must be clever as a snake and innocent as a dove!

Snakes are wise. When threatened, some snakes coil up into a ball with the head protected inside the coils of the body. They do so to protect their head, the seat of life. They do not allow themselves to be hurt in any deadly part. When threatened, we ought to protect and uphold that which is important in our life as Christians; our faith in the Risen Lord. As we defend our faith we are to be like doves too; innocent, harmless. No amount of violence inflicted can justify a Christian to retaliate with violence. Sheep do not kill wolves. Sheep convert wolves by their docility and meekness.

 

We defend our faith not by the strength of our arguments but by every word that comes from God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our audacity in proclaiming the Word of God does not come from our selves but from the one who sent us, Jesus Christ; God Himself. He sends us, and He remains with us as we tread the path He had given to us; cheering us to persevere; lifting us up when we grew tired and weary. Christ is our consolation in the midst of our hardship. Jesus is our strength in enduring persecutions, and persevering in our Christian vocation. 

The Kingdom of Heaven certainly comes for every Christian who perseveres.

Dear friends, persevere!