Tattoos At Thanksgiving

I have a 22-year-old cousin that recently graduated from college with a degree in Computer Science. He’s super smart and super delightful in every way. He showed up to Thanksgiving with a full-sleeved black and white tattoo that attracted a lot of attention especially from his grandpa. It was not necessarily positive attention, however, he definitely had everyone intrigued. When his grandpa asked him bluntly, “why the hell would you do that to your body?” My cousin proudly gave us his testimony behind the meaning of his tattoo. It was eloquent and well prepared, it was thoughtful, and it was a witness of who he was and what he valued in life. It was so important to him that he tattooed it permanently on his arm for all to see knowing that he would most definitely encounter those that hated tattoos and would have no problem telling him how much they hate tattoos. The tattoo was of a house on fire, which represented to him the things of this world that can consume us and when people become burnt out in jobs that do not feed their passions. On the outside of the house was a man on fire and that represented him and his desire to burn brightly outside of the things of this world and not because of them. It was a beautiful demonstration of his hope-filled outlook on life. What convicted his testimony even more was that people were persecuting him for it and it gave him the opportunity to stand up for his creed to burn brightly. This is what Jesus is talking about in the gospel today: persecution “will lead to your giving testimony.” 

Jesus tells us today that people will give you lots of crap for being friends with him (I paraphrased that just a little!). He goes on to say, not just any people, “parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.” Jesus, this might be the worst sales pitch ever, I’m just sayin’! “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” This is a practicum of the beatitude, “Blessed are those persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” I love that Jesus is real with us. We know what we are signing up for, but we know that at the end of the day, we can say that we stand with love, and that the very word that breathed the universe and all that is within it into existence is permanently tattooed on our soul. When people ask us “why in the hell would we do that?” we can proudly give our testimony: I want to burn brightly because I know Jesus Christ. 

Eventually, my cousin’s strong conviction about the meaning behind his tattoo softened the hearts of all of us at the table. He was so secure in his belief that it converted people’s nay saying and I loved watching him stand firm in his faith. Another testimony came forth that night. When my cousin asked his grandpa why he hated tattoos so much, his Jewish grandpa responded with, “I guess it just reminds me of the holocaust and the persecution of my people identified by tattooing numbers on their wrists.” The room was reduced to a moment of honor and respect because my cousin’s testimony and his grandpa’s testimony came together and the persecution ended in the understanding of each other’s soul. This is what needs to happen on all fronts in our society, in our church, and in our personal relationships. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 RV 15:1-4

I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God's fury is accomplished.

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God's harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 7-8, 9

R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia RV 2:10C

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 21:12-19

Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."