At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set “a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, amen, I say to you, “he will not lose his reward.” When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their towns. (Mt 10:34–11:1)
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and for the servant to be like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! Therefore do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will.
As for you, even the hairs of your head are all counted; so do not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows!
Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before men, I too will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I too will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Mt 10:24-33)
Peter and Paul
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mt 9:9-13)
Satan is defeated by Jesus
At that time, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out demons.” But he called them to himself and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand; and if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. In the same way, if Satan rises up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter the house of a strong man and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man; then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you: all sins will be forgiven the children of men, and all the blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mk 3:22-30)
Persecutions accompany the life of the believer everywhere
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the One in whom we have believed and whom we follow, has said very clearly and in various ways that those who follow him will be persecuted. Note well: not that they may be persecuted, but that they certainly will be. Here are some of his words on this matter: “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mt 5:11-12).
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all this they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. […] I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me” (Jn 15:18-21; 16:1-3).
“They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Resolve, then, in your hearts not to plan beforehand how to answer, for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name; but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives” (Lk 21:12-19).
