Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The notion of being persecuted because our Faith is often foreign to modern American Christians. The Church is so bland and non-threatening that most of us run little risk of being insulted, let alone persecuted. Therein lies the problem.
We have lost the dangerous ways that once made the Church a threat to the empire and the hope of the oppressed and impoverished. The Church was persecuted because it not only protested these social injustices, it moved to eradicate them and shine a light on their source. The Christians were persecuted for their role in restoring justice to the world, and they were blessed for it.
Lent is often a period in which we sacrifice some personal comfort in order to focus our hearts on the ultimate sacrifice at the cross. Perhaps this Lent we might consider sacrificing more than our personal comfort, perhaps we can give up our fear of being uncomfortable and each of can step out against an injustice in the world. Pray for the persecuted church. Cancel Sunday worship and spend the day with the poor of your community. Be dangerous.
LOVE | ACCEPT | FORGIVE 