BEADS OF JOY 07-08-16
“Coming Persecutions”
©2016 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today’s
Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23 (Coming Persecutions)
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.”
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.”
Reflection:
Are you ready, willing and able to withstand the coming days of persecution? The road ahead for Christians… looks grim. Jesus told his disciples in today’s gospel that they will be, “sheep in the midst of wolves;” Jesus has always been completely open and honest with his disciples about coming persecutions. Let us look at another scripture where Jesus speaks… Warning us:
Are you ready, willing and able to withstand the coming days of persecution? The road ahead for Christians… looks grim. Jesus told his disciples in today’s gospel that they will be, “sheep in the midst of wolves;” Jesus has always been completely open and honest with his disciples about coming persecutions. Let us look at another scripture where Jesus speaks… Warning us:
Matthew 24:7-14 “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various
places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be
handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated
by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith
and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear
and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of
most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Are you going to be able to
accept hardship and suffering in serving our Lord Jesus Christ? The road ahead
maybe an uphill battle. We have Jesus on our side, we have His Word, we have
the Eucharist. We must be strong and we must do all we can to help encourage
one another to remain strong. Even if we must die because of our faith and love
for Him, so be it; better to die with Him than without Him.
This isn’t an easy reflection for
many to accept or understand. I stand before you in full conviction of my
faith. Nothing in this world will ever come before me or derail me from
believing and loving Jesus first. We must have courage that God’s plan is greater
than our own fears. He knows what we are feeling, He knows what we are fearing.
But He also know that we love Him and that what truly matters.
Pray
The Rosary Everyday
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
