Daily Mass Gospel Reflection- Next World Weapons

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 7.14.23 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Matthew 10:16-23

Friends, in today’s Gospel,
Jesus predicts the persecution of his followers.
A vast army of martyrs have in the course of Christian history
given their lives for the sake of Christ and his Gospel.
They are from every culture, country, language, and background.

This is the army that stands opposed to worldly armies
that do their work through violence, threats, and oppression.
They witness to the power and authority of the risen Lord
and therefore they are fighters—
but they do not fight with the weapons of the world.

One might think of St. Peter himself, crucified upside down;
or Felicity and Perpetua, thrown to wild animals;
or of Thomas Becket, who resisted King Henry II’s attempts to manipulate the Church
and was butchered by his henchmen; or Thomas More,
who resisted another King Henry and paid for it with his head.

One might think of Paul Miki, the Japanese Jesuit,
who was crucified for announcing the Christian faith;
or Miguel Pro, who was shot to death for defying a repressive Mexican government,
shouting as he was martyred, “Viva Cristo Rey!”

[MurphsLaw]

+++Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Behold, I am sending you like
sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents
and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before
governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment
what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father
speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against
parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because
of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one
town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not
finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes."+++