Persecution Will Come

  Matthew 10: 17-22

 A Life of Persecution

¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. ¹⁸ On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

 In stark contrast to the joy of Christmas, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Stephen as a reminder that the birth of Jesus, as joyous and humble as it was, came to pass for a greater end, our salvation, which includes a radical way of living totally centered on '"the other", and entails suffering and even martyrdom. Day One, Lesson One:  Be ready  to suffer, even give your life when you choose to follow Jesus.

In this season of expectancy and wonder, may we labor to create a world where all experience eternal joy. Theologian Howard Thurman’s poem "The Work of Christmas" offers a guide to our journey:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.  

Bro. Rene

Dear God, as we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus, help us to remember  and accept the challenge that comes with it. Amen.