Wolves in our Midst

Today’s Gospel Text:  "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes. Matt 10:16-23

Reflection: Come on Jesus; don’t tell me there are wolves in our midst. Please, this is discrimination, my Lord. How can you say that there are wolves in our midst? Maybe that generation was different. 

Do you want to test these words of Jesus? Then start proclaiming the Gospel and see how you start ruffling those feathers of the wolves in birds feathers.  You will be surprised that those whom you thought could be wolves, turned out to be lambs and those whom you thought to be innocent lambs, turn out to be wolves.

They oppose the Gospel which makes them discomforted and will give it their own twist and turn and find every reason why the gospel should not be preached in its entirety. Some of them will have their own agenda and with jealousy creeping in they begin to lose sense of the priority of life.

If anyone feels that this is not true in our civilized culture, then one is mistaken.  It happens everywhere and anywhere where the gospel of Christ is preached in an unalloyed manner and tenor.

The whole society is, as if, hijacked by these classes of wolves and foxes, that we have failed to produce people who can clearly understand the truth, let alone proclaim it.  We have been distracted by our wrong priorities of life and failed to see the eternal purpose of our existence.

Hence these types of persecution have taken on a new form in many societies, which claim to be civilized.  It is an attitude of coldness to the truth of faith- a certain belief in the faulty scientific reasoning’s or an agnostic indifference or an outright rejection.

But the creative ability of the Holy Spirit at work in the hearts of those who open themselves to his working can go on undeterred by any obstacles, venturing into ever new frontiers. The good news is able to offer the true hope to mankind and is able to transform us, if it is sought by a sincere heart, in the midst of its many confusions.

Prayer: “They surrounded me like bees, they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Ps 118:12-14

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