Reflect today on how ready and willing you are to face the hostility of the world

Jesus said to his apostles: “Behold, I send you as a sheep in the midst of wolves; so be smart as a snake and simple as a dove. But watch out for men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. "Matthew 10: 16-18

Imagine being a follower of Jesus while preaching. Imagine that there is much excitement in him and high hopes that he will be the new king and he is the Messiah. There would be much hope and excitement about what will come.

But then, suddenly, Jesus gives this sermon. He says that his followers will be persecuted and scourged and that this persecution will continue again and again. This must have stopped his followers and seriously questioned Jesus and wondered if it was worth following him.

The persecution of Christians has been alive and well over the centuries. It has happened in every age and in every culture. Continue to be alive today. So what do we do? How we respond

Many Christians may fall into the trap of thinking that Christianity is simply a matter of "getting along". It is easy to believe that if we are loving and kind, everyone will also love us. But that's not what Jesus said.

Jesus made clear that persecution will be part of the Church and that we shouldn't be surprised when this happens to us. We should not be surprised when those within our culture trample on us and act maliciously. When this happens, it is easy for us to lose faith and lose heart. We can be discouraged and feel like transforming our faith into a hidden life that we live. It is difficult to live our faith openly knowing that culture and the world do not like it and will not accept it.

Examples surround us. All we have to do is read the secular news to be aware of a growing hostility towards the Christian faith. For this reason, we must listen to the words of Jesus today more than ever. We must be aware of his warning and hope for his promise that he will be with us and give us the words to say when we need it. More than anything else, this passage calls us to hope and trust in our loving God.

Reflect today on how ready and willing you are to face the hostility of the world. You should not react with such hostility, rather, you must strive to have the courage and strength to endure any persecution with the help, strength and wisdom of Christ.

Lord, give me strength, courage and wisdom while I live my faith in a world hostile to You. I can respond with love and mercy in the face of hardness and misunderstanding. Jesus I believe in you.