Beyond the Manger: The Courage to Stand
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Matthew 10:17–22
Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
Grace Prayed For
“Lord, I ask for the grace of Holy Confidence: grant me the trust to stop worrying about my own inadequacies, so that I may rely entirely on the Holy Spirit to speak and act through me in every encounter, especially those that challenge my faith.”
Reflection
At first glance, this passage feels jarring against the backdrop of the Christmas season. Yet, for those seeking intimacy with Jesus, it reveals a profound truth: the Word became flesh not just to share in our joys, but to stand with us in our rejection. Intimacy with Christ is often forged most strongly when we are “handed over”—when we feel misunderstood, judged, or isolated because of our faith.
Jesus promises that in those moments of vulnerability, we are never alone. He invites us into a “Trinitarian intimacy,” where we stop relying on our own cleverness and allow “the Spirit of your Father” to take over. This is the heart of our baptismal mission. To witness to Jesus is not about having a rehearsed script; it is about a relationship so deep that His Spirit becomes our voice. When we face the “synagogues” or “governors” of modern life—the social pressures to be silent or the fear of being “hated by all”—we find that Jesus is already there, sustaining us. To endure to the end is simply to remain in His love, trusting that the love we share with others is actually His love breaking through the cracks of our own brokenness.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post