July 8, 2011
CASSANDRA SYNDROME
“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 10:22
Cassandra is a tragic character in Greek mythology. She is so beautiful that the Greek god Apollo falls in love with her and grants her the gift of prophecy. But she doesn’t requite Apollo’s love. So he places a curse on her so that no one would ever believe her predictions. Thus, we have today the term Cassandra Syndrome — applied in situations in which valid warnings or concerns are disbelieved.
Cassandra’s situation reflects the tragic condition of man. Like her, we are favored by God yet we seem powerless in the face of our many trials. But reflecting on today’s readings, I say that we really have nothing to complain about. Jesus was also favored by God. But unlike Cassandra, He returned God’s love. Still He suffered persecutions.
The Good News is there’s a big difference between Greek myth and the true story of our Christian faith. The suffering of Jesus forecasts our own persecution when we stand up for God. That’s why in Matthew 10:22, Jesus warns us: “You will be hated by all because of my name.” But I like what follows: “Whoever endures to the end will be saved.” And this is no Cassandra Syndrome. Cynthia Santiago (boses2go@gmail.com)
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REFLECTION:
What are God’s promises that you live by?
Lord, may I always remember that Your promises are true and are eventually being fulfilled in me.
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