In the midst of wolves

Many of us were fortunate enough to grow up in times and places where attending weekly religious services was accepted as normal and expressions of religious faith tolerated.

In many places nowadays, such acceptance and tolerance seems to be decreasing: violent religious persecution seems to be on the rise in some places and elsewhere the totalitarianism of political correctness is exerting cultural and legal pressure on people of faith.

The words of our Lord in today's Gospel (Matthew 10:16-23) seem more relevant than ever.


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.