and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that we must be willing to be hated, excluded, insulted, and denounced on account of him. Doing what is right and good is not always the most popular thing we can do, but it is the only option if we wish to be Christ-like. And when we are persecuted, we must suffer the slings and arrows of others joyfully because our trials and tribulations mirror those of Christ’s passion and allow us to share—however slightly—in his sacrificial life. So the next time we are misunderstood, mocked, or otherwise demeaned because of our love of God or neighbor, let us be thankful for it and offer it up to God as a token of our faith in Him.
Are we willing to be hated in order to do the right thing? Do we rejoice when others persecute us? How do we unite our sufferings with those of Christ?
O Lord, we rejoice whenever we do your will, no matter the cost.
Amen.
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