2 Tim 2, 8–13
Remember the gospel that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have to put up with suffering, even to being chained like a criminal. But God’s message cannot be chained up. So I persevere for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they, too, may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Here is a saying that you can rely on: If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we persevere, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. If we are faithless, he is faithful still, for he cannot disown his own self.
How important it is for the Apostle that the word of God is not bound. It must remain free and find its way to the people. In this regard, we can be glad to use today’s possibilities of communication for the glory of God. As long as it is still possible and no anti-God forces seize all means to prevent the Word of God and thus the truth, we should use this freedom. If things change, God will also show further ways in which his word finds its spread that people will know and receive salvation in Christ. For this the Apostle Paul is ready to give everything.
St. Paul says that if we are unfaithful, God remains faithful. May God prevent us from becoming unfaithful! Even though we can rely on the faithfulness of God, our efforts should be directed to remain always faithful to the Lord in all circumstances.
In our times, we are especially called to remain faithful to the Gospel, especially when the spirit of relativism permeates the world and has also penetrated the Church.
Let us never forget that with the Holy Scriptures and true ecclesial doctrine, not only has we been given a general orientation for our lives, but the immense good of truth has been revealed to us. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s word will stand (cf. Mt 24,35).
Faithfulness here means sticking to the recognized truth and deeply rooting it. This means not only sticking to beliefs, but of remaining true means being faithful to the Lord, who is of himself the truth.
It cannot be repeated enough, because the basic truths of our faith are currently being particularly attacked.
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, because through me.” (Joh 14,6). This word is unambiguous and has always been understood by the Church in this sense. Christ is the Redeemer of men, so the Church must proclaim salvation in Christ.
Faithfulness to the Lord must prove itself especially when one begins to look at religions at the same level, for example. If, for example, all religions were equally desired by God, the coming of a Redeemer would be pointless. Jesus would then only be another teacher of wisdom, as there were many before him and will come.
Here we must hold fast to the truth and not be deceived. Theological and philosophical speculations are useless and confusing if they violate or relativize the revealed truth.
As Catholics, we cannot deny ourselves and, for the sake of the applause of the world, compromise our faith. It would be an infidelity to the Lord and to the Church. We would also be unfaithful to the world in the sense that we would withhold from the world the proclamation of the truth.
To remain faithful, it is important not to live in fear of other people’s opinions and to ask for the gift of strength. God is always the first orientation and not what people expect of us.
Adherence to true values – and nothing is more true than the revealed truth of God – makes us reliable people. From the truth of faith we will also hold fast to the other truths in their hierarchical order – to fidelity even in the small things (cf. Lk 16,10).
Fidelity, however, is only given when true values asking us for faithfulness. For example, we cannot be faithful to errors. As soon as we have recognized them as such, the truth commands them to leave.
True fidelity adorns the human soul and makes us like the Lord!