Apocalypse 15:1-4 / Luke 21:12-19
We may remember that during our school days, there are occasions when the teacher would give us a "surprise" test.
It was certainly not a pleasant surprise at all, as we will be caught unprepared, and if we had not been keeping up with our studies, then the result won't be a surprise at all.
But in such a "surprise" test, that's when it shows what we know and how diligent we are in our studies.
In life there will be surprises, and like those "surprise" test in school, they are not usually pleasant at all.
What Jesus said in the gospel is certainly far from pleasant. In fact, it is painful to know that we will be persecuted for doing the good and right thing, which is actually quite surprising.
What is painfully surprising is that the persecutors are not strangers but relatives and even family members. They may even be friends and colleagues.
But in a time of the test of our faith, let us not be that surprised by who will be against us.
But in test of our faith, let us also be assured of who will be with us. Yes Jesus will be there for us to give us an eloquence and a wisdom that will not only surprise our opponents, it will even surprise us.
So let us prepare for the surprises in life, and we will know who Jesus is, who our friends are and who we really are.