The shield that Christ’s Catholic Church provided most of Europe for the thousand years between 500 and 1500 AD had some staying power. Even after the depredations of foul Luther and the ax-murdering founder of the Anglican schisms, strength remained in the Church and in the sense of fairness, forgiveness, and justice that permeated the Catholic lands.
The languages of Europe had Christ’s teaching woven through them. Laws also reflected Catholic thinking. So did the honoring of contracts. Much of the New World was settled by people who’d embraced many Catholic principles. Now, the forces of evil are purging any mention of Christ from our vocabularies. Christian hist0ry is twisted, befouled, and erased. Forces of evil gather strength.
Those who rule the vast prison camps of Cuba, Zimbabwe, and North Korea offer examples for future tyrants. Every day, fewer barriers stand between helpless citizens and the dark desires of oppression. Today’s Reading lets us know that the painful part of being Catholic may arrive in our own lifetimes. Mt 10: 12-22:
Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.”
Unpleasant as it is going to be, “enduring to the end” is worth it. We may pray to be spared our fear-filled families seeking safety by sacrificing us to the state. It is more important to be praying for the opportunity of being found worthy.
That is easier said than done.
