In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives a stern assignment to his disciples: To be courageous in their ministries to preach love in the face of hatred. Jesus warns them, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

As Christians, you and I are asked to do things that may seem far beyond our tastes and our abilities. For example. When we gently try to correct someone, and the criticism was not well taken. When we could not go along with something we thought was wrong and we were given the cold shoulder, or it led to the end of what we thought was a friendship. When we had to act for the good of the business or organization, and it costs someone dearly.

“They hated me first,” says Jesus. “To follow Jesus means putting up with the ridicule, the anger, and the hatred that’s directed at us, for the sake of what is right,” says Father Jerry in today’s homily above, “That may mean standing alone at times, but Jesus stands with us.”

Jesus stands with YOU right now, on Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter.