It's hard for us Americans to imagine being persecuted for our religious faith. We live in a country with relative freedom. Regrettably, the same cannot be said in other parts of the world. The number one, most persecuted religion on earth is you. As shocking as this might be, we should not be surprised in the least. Jesus himself warns his followers in today's Gospel: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.... You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved." (Cf. Matthew 10:16-23)