SOME THINGS ARE WORTH DYING FOR

SABBATH

A Newsweek issue from the 1990s published a horrible story about a married couple in Canada who kidnapped, tortured, raped and sometimes murdered teenage girls. They even videotaped their victims’ agony. And so we learned about 15- year-old Kirsten French. She was ordered to perform a certain sex act but she refused, saying, “Some things are worth dying for.” She never gave in, even when the couple showed her a video of one of their victims.

Ninoy Aquino said something similar. His motive was love for his country. We also remember the death of John the Baptist who also dared to tell the powerful ruler that he was wrong by marrying his half-brother’s wife. He died for the truth. These three examples embody that kind of strength, self-determination and self-respect that we can only admire, because at the bottom of it is a sense of honor and the readiness to die to preserve that honor. In other words, John the Baptist, Kirsten French and Ninoy Aquino are telling us that there are values which one should not compromise. There are values which we, as followers of Christ, have to stand up and even be ready to suffer for. But isn’t their standing up for truth, for chastity, for the nation outdated in our secularized and sex-obsessed world? Here comes Jesus telling us in today’s Gospel, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body…” One problem that weakens our society and even the Church is that too many don’t have the backbone to stand up for truth, purity and other Christian values. As that weakens our nation, it is also weakening the Church. “Some things are worth dying for.” May these words give us strength to be more courageous in a world where chastity is laughed at, where the truth is twisted, where faith and loyalty to the teachings of Christ and of the Church are often undermined by secular ideas and trends. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   Reflection Question: Do I have the courage to stand up for Christian values and the teachings of the Church?   Thank You, Lord, for the timely reminder. I need more courage and strength. May Your Word and the example of so many courageous people teach me not to fear those who kill the body and make me stronger.   Sts. Saturninus and Lupus, pray for us.