Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Jn 15: 18-21
May 13, 2023 | Saturday
If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you. This would not be so if you belonged to the world, because the world loves its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you from the world; because of this the world hates you.
Remember what I told you: the servant is not greater than his master; if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. All this they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.
Today’s Reflection:
This Gospel’s opening words are a bit startling. Jesus once again is talking with His disciples about the world. He tells them: “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me first.” In this passage, Jesus is using the word “world” to describe the people who reject Him and who will persecute Jesus and His followers.
Jesus also tells the disciples that they do not belong to the “world.” And most likely, the “world” will hate them because they do not belong to the world of the Pharisees. This tells us that the path to following Jesus is a difficult one. If we consciously choose to follow Jesus, we may have to make difficult choices and, in that process, we may alienate some of the people in our lives. If we choose to wholeheartedly follow Jesus, most likely we also will experience rejection or perhaps even hate. Jesus clearly was counter cultural in his society. Are we willing to follow Jesus rather than the “crowd?” Are we prepared to truly be counter cultural in our beliefs and choices? Are we willing to deal with anger, rejection, or alienation if we make choices to do what is truly loving and kind? Do we trust Jesus to walk with us, strengthen and grace us? The “world” is not an easy place to live. Each day we could make a variety of choices. Today will we choose to follow the crowd and simply do what is expected of us? Or will we choose to follow Jesus and act as Jesus would act? Only we can choose. What will we do? /Vulnerasti, 2023
