May 21, 2022, Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter-C
Acts 16:1-10
Psalm 100
John 15:18-21
“…I have chosen you out of the world…” John 15:19
Lord, how well you knew the challenges your followers would face in their work to bring the gospel to all mankind. Today you are preparing them for the rejection and even persecution they would encounter when the good news meets the values of the world and the clash between light and darkness, truth and lies. You experienced the vile hatred of the Jewish authorities and so would they. Religious persecution continues today. No prayer in our schools, no mention of Christmas, redefinition of marriage, tax-payer funding of abortion and a general decline of morality have all become the norm in our great country. Not to mention the genocide against Christians by ISIS and the terror in Ukraine. Religious freedom is under attack in so many ways. Our culture pressures us to restrict our faith to inside our church walls. I guess we are doing something right when we get heat from the world for living our beliefs. Lord, strengthen me to hold firm to what you’ve taught me. Keep me close to you and your truth as I live my faith and share the good news with those who live in error and darkness. Amen.