God assumed from the beginning that
the wise of the world would view Christians as fools…and He has not been
disappointed….If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage
to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the
courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world. - Antonin Scalia: (1936 –2016:
was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1986
until his death in 2016)
Gospel
Text: (JN 15:26—16:4A)
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Advocate comes whom I
will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from
the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the
beginning.
"I have told you this so that you
may not fall away.
They will expel you from the
synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when
everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to
God.
They will do this because they have
not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when
their hour comes
you may remember that I told
you."
Pope Francis tells us that, by our
baptism, all of us are called to be witnesses of Christ, that we should be
ready to go out wherever to preach the Good News of salvation. He tells us that
we should proclaim our faith first in our own lives and actions so that when we
preach to others they could listen and believe our words.
Today's readings invite us to be
witnesses of Christ. In the first reading from Mass God fearing Lydia and her
household are baptized after the preaching and witnessing of Paul. In the
Gospel reading Jesus tells his disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit,
the Helper, to be a witness to Christ and to assist us in our witness to
Christ. Jesus warns his disciples to "keep from stumbling and falling
away"; he warns them they would meet opposition, even persecution:
"they will put you out of Jewish communities. Still more, the hour is
coming when anyone who kills you will claim to be serving God."
Jesus tells his disciples not to be
afraid, especially with the Helper with them. This same Spirit is also with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment