In today’s Gospel, the Lord tells them about the territory into which He is sending them. "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves.” Sheep certainly need to be careful when they are in wolf-infested territory. Persecution is inevitable. There will not be a single age, a single sector of society, where Christians will be completely safe. There will always be Wolves who will want to kill us simply because we are sheep—non-Christians who will misunderstand us, seek to silence us, desire to break us, simply because we are Christian. The Lord’s warning here certainly reflects the experience of early Christian communities where believers were betrayed by their own family members.
The Diocese of Cleveland is wolf-infested territory. Do not be surprised when the Gospel mission is opposed, when the world tries to silence the Word—even from within one’s own family.
In an age of growing hostility we know that many people do not agree with Our Lord and his Church. They laughed at him, mocked him, thought he was naive, thought he was blasphemous, and they do the same to us. They worked to prevent him from spreading His Gospel, they do the same to us. As this country, and really all of Western Civilization, falls into moral decline, it is not surprising that Christians are being fined for operating our businesses according to Christian principles, it is not surprising that we are called bigots for not tolerating all the perversions of the culture.
We are called to be sheep—docile and obedient to God, even when the wolves start closing in. But, that doesn’t mean we are called to be punching bags. Christian missionary disciples need to, “be as shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” Our Lord Himself was cunning in dealing with the Pharisees, in forming his disciples, but also innocent as a dove, of all malice, of all sin.To be shrewd as the serpent, means to be cunning, wise, and crafty with non-believers and those who oppose the Gospel, not out of deceit, but as part of a greater strategy to win souls. How can I help people see the goodness and truth of Jesus? We are to train our minds in the Word of God, in the writings and examples of the saints; to use creativity in the evangelizing mission.
On the other hand, to become innocent as doves, we train our hearts to trust God in all things, to hate sin, to love our neighbor with abundant generosity, peacemaking, and gentleness, and to not be hardened when we face difficulty or persecution.
“Without innocence, cunning becomes manipulative; without cunning, innocence becomes naivety; the finely-balanced character reflects that of Jesus himself.” May we have the mind and heart of Our Lord in fulfilling the mission of the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That all bishops and clergy will lead the Church in faithfulness to the Gospel mandate and in the practice of every Christian virtue.
For all those who have fallen away from the Church, those who have fallen into serious sin, for non-believers, atheists, and those in error, for their conversion, and the conversion of all hearts.
For Christians experiencing persecution for the faith, that they may hold fast to the Lord in their sufferings.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, for victims of abuse and scandal, for the imprisoned and the addicted, for all those recovering from or undergoing surgery today, and for the consolation of the dying.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord
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