Ephesians 1:11-14 / Luke 12:1-7
To say that the Church is under persecution is a fact. Yes, there are many Catholics and Christians who face outright persecution and even death just because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
It is in these persecutions that we can see the forces of the underworld going all out to destroy believers and the Church.
Yet in other places where there is religious harmony and respect for religion, as in a place like Singapore, then the powers of the dark will change tactics.
Instead of outright, hostile and violent persecutions, the Church will be under temptation and distraction.
Believers will be tempted and distracted with consumerism and materialism and secularism, and many will succumb to the distraction and eventually the temptation.
And that is why the 1st reading reminds us that in Jesus Christ, God has claimed us as His own and we are chosen for His greater glory.
Through baptism, we have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit and the promise of an eternal inheritance.
So for those who have lost their lives just for believing in Christ, we believe that they have received their eternal inheritance.
For those who are persecuted for believing in Christ, we believe that they will be vindicated, either in this life or in the next.
But for us who are tempted and distracted, may we put on our guard against the wiles and snares of the devil.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we be able to uncover the hidden traps of the devil and see clearly the path of truth, and may we have the courage to proclaim our faith from the rooftops.