“Before governors and kings”

Today, the leader of the world’s richest nation and most powerful military force will meet with the Vicar of Christ.

It will be a friendly meeting – or at least diplomatic – yet, as today’s Gospel reminds us (Matthew 10:16-23), conflict is inevitable between faithful Christians and this world’s powerful.

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....

You will be hated by all because of my name....

Yet with these warnings, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ also gives guidance and comfort:

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.