Friday of the
Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary time
(Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7)
ISIS has made known the fact that Christians are being persecuted. Its bloody videos reveal that martyrdom did
not end with the Edict of Milan. Rather persecution
of Christians persists in a way stronger than ever. John Allen documents it in a book published
just two years ago. It happens around
the world to all kinds of Christians. In
today’s gospel Jesus warns his disciples to expect as much.
Jesus tells his disciples not to be surprised by the
persecution. They may think that what
they preach will be kept secret. But the
message is so hopeful that it will inevitably be repeated everywhere. He does not want them to fear the persecution
so much as to fear God, “’the one has the power to cast into Gehenna.’” But then he states that they do not have to be
afraid at all if they have really become his messengers.
Jesus wants us to tell others about God’s love. We may say how a certain gospel passage has
affected our life. Some will roll their
eyes, but they are not likely to attack us . In any case we can count on God’s coming to
our rescue. After all, we are worth much
more to Him than the sparrows that He protects.
