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.” MT 10:16-23
As I continue to write this blog, I have learned something very important, the power of asking the Spirit of the Father (Holy Spirit) to guide me before I read the Scriptures and write. I have come to know I am a great sinner and do not have the highest education in theology. There are many things I do not know. Before I read the Scriptures, I ask the Holy Spirit to bring to fruition wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures and before I write, I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me. So, please understand the power of the Holy Spirit. Your prayers and reflections will be turned into action knowing your are doing the Father’s Will. This is the purpose of the Holy Spirit. The ability to help young people understand the Scriptures is a gift that I am thankful for. It is a gift, not something I created. I have worked on improving it, but I did not give it to myself, it is from God. As you continue to be formed as a young person, keep the Holy Spirit close. When it is time to put your formation into action, the Holy Spirit will guide you to do the Father’s Will and you will be filled with joy.
Today, Jesus claims something very odd. He will be the reason for many divisions even among those in families. The point is that we are the closest to our families. Jesus said His Words and mission are so important that they will even cause divisions in families. You have been warned, if you listen to Christ’s Word and allow it to transform you with the Eucharist, it will cause division in your life even with some who you are closest with. He warns you will be persecuted. It is amazing to me how many Christians have been persecuted over the last 2000 years. Proof of Jesus’s warning today. Are you ready to strap on the armor of God?
Today’s challenge: Make it a habit to pray to the Father and ask Him to send His Spirit upon you before you embark upon the Scriptures and daily tasks, but also to guide you to the Father and Son and bring you into their presence during prayer, the ultimate goal of worship.
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO
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