Gospel Luke 21:12-19
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
Jesus is talking to His disciples about the thing that was really an integral part of their early ministry, and that was rejection, persecution. And in that time, what Jesus was telling His disciples is to expect this kind of difficulty, but to know deeply within them that nothing, nothing could truly destroy them, and that everything that they needed to be in a moment of persecution, they would receive it in that moment, not ahead of time, not going into every issue, being totally confident of knowing what they're going to say, just knowing that God will be there.
That's our confidence. Not having the answer, but knowing that when we need it, God will give it to us.


Closing Prayer
Father, confidence is not based in our own gifts and our own abilities, but rather in what you promise us. That building on that which we have, that which we've grown into, you will make us even stronger, even clearer, even more precise in terms of how we can witness the truth against those who hate it. And want to destroy it. Give us peace of mind in all of our struggles, and we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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