Reflect today on Jesus' invitation to us to live in perseverance

Jesus told the crowd: “They will take you and persecute you, hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and lead you before kings and governors on account of my name. It will lead you to bear witness ”. Luke 21: 12-13

This is a sobering thought. And as this step continues, it gets even more challenging. He goes on to say, “You will even be handed over by parents, siblings, relatives and friends and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but not a hair of your head will be destroyed. With your perseverance you will protect your lives ”.

There are two key points we should take from this step. First, like yesterday's Gospel, Jesus offers us a prophecy that prepares us for the persecution to come. By telling us what is to come, we will be better prepared when it comes. Yes, being treated with harshness and cruelty, especially by family and those close to us, is a heavy cross. It can shake us to the point of discouragement, anger and despair. But don't give up! The Lord has foreseen this and is preparing us.

Second, Jesus gives us the answer to how we deal with being treated harshly and maliciously. He says: "With your perseverance you will ensure your life". By remaining strong in life's trials and by keeping hope, mercy and trust in God, we will become victorious. This is such an important message. And it is certainly a message easier said than done.

Reflect, today, on the invitation that Jesus makes us to live in perseverance. Often, when perseverance is most needed, we don't feel like persevering. Instead, we may feel like lashing out, reacting and being angry. But when difficult opportunities present us, we are able to live this gospel in a way that we never could have if all things in our life were easy and comfortable. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is the most difficult, because it promotes this virtue of perseverance. If you find yourself in such a situation today, turn your eyes to hope and see each persecution as a call to a greater virtue.

Lord, I offer you my crosses, my wounds and my persecutions. I offer you in every way I've been mistreated. For those little injustices, I ask for mercy. And when the hatred of others causes me much anguish, I pray that I can persevere in Your grace. Jesus I believe in you.