Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Daniel 5:1-6.13-14.16-17.23-28; Luke 21:12-19)

In today’s gospel Jesus warns his followers that some of them will be put to death before he comes again.  Short of that, they will be betrayed and persecuted.  Yet, he says, they are not to lose courage or give up.  He promises to assist them in their trials.

Jesus’ prediction has proved true until the present day.  Christians in different parts of the world are being harassed, injured, robbed, and even killed. Numbers are disputed.  Some say as many as 100,000 a year.  In any case persecutions are distressingly many.

As most of us live in areas without systematic persecution, we tend to think that Christians everywhere live in peace.  After all, Christ taught us to love, not to hate our neighbors.  However, whether it be from others’ religious zealotry or in reaction to our failure to follow Christ, Christians are suffering violence today.  Our response must not be to prepare ourselves for battle.  Rather, as much as possible, we are to give testimony to Jesus’ own long-suffering, peace, and love.

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