May 8, 2021
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Readings for Today
Jesus disse aos seus discípulos: “Se o mundo vos odeia, sabei que primeiro odiou a mim. Se pertencêsseis ao mundo, o mundo amaria o que é seu; mas, porque não pertenceis ao mundo e eu vos escolhi do meio do mundo, o mundo vos odeia.” João 15:18–19
Este é um pensamento que nos faz refletir com seriedade: “o mundo odeia vocês”. Isto é, se você estiver entre aqueles que foram tirados por nosso Senhor para fora do mundo. Nesse caso, Jesus diz que o mundo vai odiar você.
No one wants to be hated. No one wants to experience the wrath, persecution, attacks, or ridicule of another. Hatred is ugly, painful, and difficult to endure. But that is part of the nature of hate. It’s not only a form of persecution, it’s also a form of manipulation. Hate is an attack upon another by which the hater seeks to inflict injury and to manipulate them to change and conform to their will. The secular and unchristian “world” wants to win you over and away from God. Jesus offers this teaching, in part, to prepare us so that when we do experience hatred from the world, we will not be affected by it nor manipulated to turn from Him. Therefore, this teaching is a revelation of much mercy from our Lord.
Remember that Jesus spoke of three enemies of our soul. The flesh, the devil and the world. In this Gospel passage, to “belong to the world” means that a person allows themself to be negatively influenced by the countless lies embedded within the world. The secular media, pop-culture, biased opinions, social pressures, false images of happiness and the like seek to constantly misguide us and draw us in. We are regularly tempted to believe that fulfillment is found in money, our physical appearance, the recognition of our accomplishments, and much more. The world tells us that our opinions must conform to the secular values of the age—and if they don’t, then we are judgmental, close-minded, extremists, and should be shunned and “cancelled” or silenced.
Essas tentações e pressões mundanas são reais e, por isso, as palavras de Jesus são libertadoras. Elas nos libertam das manipulações e dos enganos que enfrentaremos quando vivermos nossa fé abertamente, à vista de todos. Quando fizermos isso, seremos odiados pelo mundo. Mas saber disso traz paz ao coração quando isso acontece.
Reflect, today, upon these powerful and consoling words of Jesus. If you do not experience any form of hatred from the world, then this should be a concern and the cause for reflection. And if you do experience some form of hatred, know that our Lord prepared you for this and offers you His strength and courage to endure it with joy. In the end, all that matters is what our Lord thinks, and nothing else. In the end, if you experience hatred by the world in any form, know that this makes you more like Christ Himself.
Meu Senhor perseguido, Vós suportastes o ódio e as zombarias de muitos que estavam dominados pelos falsos valores do mundo. Peço-Vos que eu possa participar não apenas da Vossa vida de amor e misericórdia, mas também da Vossa força nos momentos em que eu também suportar o ódio do mundo. Entrego-me a Vós e peço que continuamente me tireis do mundo e me aproximeis de Vós. Jesus, eu confio em Vós.
Mais reflexões sobre o Evangelho
Reflexões sobre a Divina Misericórdia
Featured images above: Christ Mocked and Crowned with Thorns By Jan Miense Molenaer
