By your perseverance...

In these days there is a growing darkness more frightening that the economic crisis: the growing darkness of immortality, growing in size and power.

The media is becoming more and more unrestrained in promoting immorality and in denigrating those who stand up for morality. Courts seem more and more bold in endorsing immorality, heedless even of the law itself. Politicians, taking advantage of an electorate’s weariness, are preparing laws and regulations that not only open doors wider to immorality but force believers to violate their own consciences.

In these days, our Lord’s warnings in today’s Gospel (Luke 21:12-19) resonate with even greater power and comfort.

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.