Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 21: 12-19
November 26, 2025 | Wednesday

Today’s Gospel

Before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you; you will be delivered to the synagogues and put in prison, and for my sake you will be brought before kings and governors. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to say, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.

You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends, and some of you will be put  to death. But even though, because of my name, you will be hated by everyone, not a hair of your head will perish. By your patient endurance you will save your souls.

Today’s Reflection

Jesus’ presence in the world was a sign of contradiction. For instance, He considered Himself a king, but He lived not in a bejeweled palace with servants and machinery but as   a humble carpenter. He admonished His disciples to store treasures, not to seek riches and fame. He taught about life, but one must die to self to truly live. He preached love and forgiveness, even to those who persecuted Him, defying the common practice of seeking revenge. As His followers, we are also called to be signs of contradiction in the world. While the world believes that material possessions bring happiness, we find true joy by detaching from worldly goods and attaching ourselves to the source of True Happiness—God. The world asserts that self-promotion and dominance lead to freedom, yet we discover that true freedom and purpose come through humble service and selflessness. The world competes for the title of ‘the best,’ but as followers of Jesus, we strive to do our best in all things, recognizing that only God is truly the best. Furthermore, in a society that values individualism and personal gain, we are called to live in a community and prioritize the common good. While the world often seeks power and control, we embrace vulnerability and trust in God’s providence. The world may focus on immediate gratification, but we seek eternal fulfillment. By living these contradictions, we bear witness to a different way of life—a life rooted in the teachings of Jesus, indeed an “opportunity to bear witness,” as Jesus Himself said in the Gospel.

/Vulnerasti, 2025