Friday of the
Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hosea 14:2-10; Matthew 10:16-23)
Oddly, in a way, religious freedom has been threatened as
secularism becomes more dominant. One
would think that fewer people would care how religious people worship. But worship is more than praying in
church. A believer’s whole life should
manifest different ways of giving God His due.
Today religious people are being persecuted for refusing to cooperate
with evil that has been sanctioned by the state. Pro-life pharmacists are being harassed by
government for not selling abortion inducing pills. Catholic sisters are being pressured into
providing contraceptives for their employees.
Catholic doctors are being told they may have to leave their practice if
they do not cooperate with physician-assisted suicide. In today’s gospel Jesus
warns his disciples to expect such mistreatment.
Jesus tells his disciples to be as “as shrewd as
serpents.” He wants them to avoid confrontation
with their persecutors as much as possible.
But they are also to be “as simple as doves”; that is, he does not want
them to obfuscate the truth with rationalizations. Jesus recognizes that this strategy will lead
to persecution but also assures his followers of rewards for their valor.
Most of us will not be persecuted directly for practicing
our faith. Nevertheless, we should support
those who are. We should consider voting
for policymakers who respect religious freedom.
We may consider contributing to pay legal fees of those who are being
harassed. Of course, we are to pray that
our society will protect religious freedom.
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