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.
The peace of the Lord be with you. It’s not always easy or popular to do the right thing. This is Jesus’s warning for us today. He tells us that the opposition we may face will not always be from strangers, but sometimes from those we hold most dear. It’s not necessarily that they don’t love us, but that we live in a fallen world where division and strife are a reality.
In addition to this warning, Jesus reminds us that if we persevere to the end it will be life-restoring and life-giving. Ultimately, we will face no harm. We must face life on life’s terms by using our light to dispel the darkness. As we do so, we will ultimately find the glory of God shining behind those clouds. Be not afraid. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.