OPPRESSED NO MORE

Athaliah, the queen-mother, violently oppressed God's people for seven years. They were freed from her oppressive, idolatrous regime by:

• the courage of Jehosheba, who risked her life to save the life of baby Joash, the future king (2 Kgs 11:2),
• the wise and strong leadership of Jehoiada, the priest (2 Kgs 11:4ff), and
• the submission of the captains and the guards to Jehoiada's authority (2 Kgs 11:4ff).

The Church today throughout much of the world is oppressed. The Church is often decimated, impoverished, marginalized, and insulted. We can throw off this oppression if we have:

• the courage to fast and pray (see Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II, 100),
• the love and unselfishness to lay down our lives in leadership, and
• the humility to submit to God-given authority.

When our own obedience is complete, we have the power to bring down the strongholds, sophistries, and proud pretensions that raise themselves "against the knowledge of God; we likewise bring every thought into captivity to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). A disobedient people are oppressed and oppressive. An obedient people are free. Obey the Lord.