Jesus said to the crowd: "They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
Reflection:
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
What is perseverance? An online definition is: steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
When I was little, my grandmother would tell me stories of the Saints. I loved those stories. The courage, strength, and perseverance they displayed were amazing. As I listened to the stories, I remember thinking, I wanted to be like them.
In this reading, Jesus is speaking to a crowd of people. Jesus cares so deeply that He wants the disciples and all who will be spreading the good news, to understand that there will be hardships, but He is also giving encouragement by letting them know that He will be there with them helping them.
I wonder if some of the Saints were in that crowd of people. These words, spoken by Jesus, are truth. As I reflect on these words, I realize that if they are indeed truth and the Saints believed this as well, then Jesus is actually empowering those people that will go out and be His disciples. He will truly be with them helping them in the midst of their suffering and trials.
Every minute of my life is an opportunity to give witness to Jesus Christ and let people know about his love. I pray that we all have the courage and strength to endure and persevere in giving of ourselves for Christ as we go out to be His disciples. May God bless us all.
