“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.”
Further in this Sunday’s Gospel passage, Jesus continues to raise the bar for how challenging it is to bear his name. Some will be put to death, many will be hated, and perseverance will be required. Have you and I lowered the bar that goes with bearing the name of Jesus Christ? Do we hope for it to be free of any suffering? Do we look for the easy way and avoid conflict whenever possible? There is a great cost to love like Christ, but there is no greater reward. Rather than lowering it, how can we lift the bar for ourselves to where Jesus has set it to worthily bear His name?
Petition:
That, by the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit, we may bear the name of Jesus as his community of missionary disciples, we pray…