NON-VIOLENT COURAGE

What Jesus so often called his “hour” has finally come. His disciples have already forsaken him, emotionally at least, in the garden. Now they physically scatter, and Jesus is abandoned. His ordeal has begun. Our over-familiarity with the story should not blind us to the fact that every response his disciples made back then is repeated by his disciples today. Like Peter, we cannot believe that we could forsake our Lord. “Surely not I!” we say, like all twelve disciples at the Last Supper (25); but, like them, not all of us are always correct about ourselves and our motivations. How many Christians today, whether obscure or prominent, consciously or unconsciously betray their Lord under a mask of well-meaning but false sincerity? Who among us has never made a self-serving choice?

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus totally rejected the use of his power for his own benefit. Here he urges non-violence to his disciples, whose instinct is to meet violence with violence. They actually have swords with them! Knowing no other way of dealing with an angry mob, their next instinct is to flee. Random aggression, an out-of-hand herd-like mentality, and the injustice of crowds incited to violence against others are still with us today, especially in politically or religiously divided communities. Christians facing violent opposition in some countries today still struggle to find another way, i.e., a path between meeting violence with violence, or going into hiding, or even denying their beliefs. Those of us who live in more tolerant communities should not too hastily judge those who, like the disciples, know neither how to make the right choice nor even what the right choice is, especially when faced with sudden violence. In our safer communities, we still know what it is to run away from what we should do in times of pressure or panic.

When a public promise is made, those of us making the promise should consider all possible impediments, especially when it involves a stand for the sake of the Gospel.