Persecution’s Coming–Get Vulnerable!

Say what?!

From today’s readings:

My son, when you come to serve the Lord…
prepare yourself for trials.
Be sincere of heart and steadfast,
undisturbed in time of adversity…
Accept whatever befalls you,
in crushing misfortune be patient…
Trust God
~Sirach 2:1,2,4,6

The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill Him…
If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all…
whoever receives one such child as this in My Name,
receives Me
~Mark 9:31,37

First of all, we want to think that coming to serve the Lord
is going to eliminate our problems–not add to them!

And secondly, we want to prepare for problems
by gathering weapons, installing defenses,
learning to be assertive!

Sirach tells us, rather,
to be sincere and steadfast, patient,
accepting and trusting–positions of vulnerability.

Jesus only adds to the effect
by telling us to be the least and last,
like helpless little children!

The thing is, earthly strength is spiritual weakness, and vice versa.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood (cf. Ephesians 6:12)
Mortal strategies will yield mortal results.
We need the supernatural–
which is exactly what Sirach is proposing.

If we are to win supernaturally,
we must arm our souls with virtue
–the very word means “power”–
not with hostility.

Virtue wins by losing.
It wins by being what it is
–at the expense of earthly vulnerability–
in every circumstance.

The malice of men cannot shake it
from the practise of divine self-sacrifice,
from the love that sees, with God’s eyes,
the treasure in every soul–
even in the souls of those who hate it.

the power that has conquered the world
is this faith of ours
~I John 5:4

This is the man who was thrown into boiling oil
and emerged unscathed,
the man who was exiled on the bleak Isle of Patmos
for proclaiming the Gospel.
He conquered the world…
by sincerity, steadfastness, patience, acceptance
and trust in God.

We can too.

Yes, persecution is coming.
Get ready!
Get vulnerable!