There are so many potential insights to today’s Gospel, it’s hard to create a single reflection that brings them to light. First of all Jesus is predicting his rejection by His people, in this case, the leaders of one Jewish sect … the Pharisees. They don’t want to hear His message, the scorn His followers, they want to protect their own self righteousness and ultimately are successful in killing Him through persecution. Jesus predicts all of this, and the downfall of those who knowingly reject Him. How much of that message is still relevant today. A great deal. You only have to look at the media criticizing our outgoing Pope to see that today.

Secondly, the objective of all this persecution is to open up Jesus’s salvific love to the rest of mankind. From His sacrifice and a handful of followers a sixth of the world’s population now follow this message. 

Thirdly, we now have the message of obedience. Jesus knew what was ahead, He revealed more to the disciples, who sometimes weren’t the best listeners until after His death and resurrection. He followed the path set out from the beginning of His mission with great loyalty, never wavering in His love, even when surrounded by misunderstanding and mistreatment.

Can we open ourselves today to hear these messages being sent to us from over two thousand years? Do we feel His love touching our everyday lives? Are we persecuted perhaps … can we call on Him for assistance.

Yes, we can.