The gospel of St. John, realizes the fundamental importance of our union with Christ, to the end that the mission is fertile. The secret of the heart and the efficiency of the mission of the Apostles are in their unshakeable confidence in the word and in the Holy Spirit that encourages and empowers. However, the evangelizer cannot be ignorant that he will encounter many difficulties and oppositions.

St. Paul speaks to us of many sufferings that he had to experience to announce the Gospel: “But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

The disciples of Jesus will be confronted with the hatred of the world, just as Christ confronted. They will be persecuted, because the men do not support those that oppose their principles.

The hatred of the world manifests itself in the persecution against the community of Christ. But it should not discourage you in your life of faith, nor in  the completing your evangelizing mission. The persecution and the suffering have to be lived in union with the Lord. The destiny of the disciples is identical to that of Christ: “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.”

The follower of Christ knows that upon realizing the mission, he will encounter the resistance of the world. The evangelizer knows that, despite being in the world, he does not belong to it, for his criteria are worldly, but pertain to the Gospel: “If the world hates you, Realize  that, before you, it hated me. If you came from the world, the world would love you as its own. But you do not come from the world, for it was I who chose you from among the world.

As we see Jesus, at the same time in which he prepares the disciples will confront persecution, he gives them the guarantee that their mission will be efficient.

The persecution to the disciples are the confirmation that are doing their part in the community of the Lord. “Happy, will you be when they insult you and persecute you and lie and say all type of calumny against you, for my cause.”

According to Paul, we should maintain ourselves firm as Christians, having the strength vested in the truth and the courage of justice. It is interesting to see as He makes us valiant warriors. The sword that we should carry in our hands is the Word of God. It is efficient and penetrates, for it goes to the most fundamental part of the human spirit.

The Gospel reminds us that the servant is not more than our Lord. You should not remain shocked, worried, upon experiencing indifferences and hostilities at your side. It is the sing that you are faithful to Christ persecuted and to His Word of the Cross.

Do not enter “crisis mode” if many don’t think as you, if they attack you through ancient and modern methods. The faith is always something “out of style”, therefore it has to be obtained and lived in the way that in the appeal to the cross and to sacrifice.

Knocking, we are strong through the presence of Christ and docility to His Spirit, we should strive – as disciples – in denouncing sin, working for through the world of men, as his strength and his dramas, open to the Reign of God.

We seek strength, in the Word of God and in His Holy Spirit, for he gives us the capacity to undo the distortions of the heart affected by the old man, or even the father of lies.

Padre Bantu Mendonça

Fr. Bantu Mendonça Katchipwi Sayla is a priest for the Diocese of Tubarão, Angola

Translated from Portuguese