Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
July 14, 2023
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Matthew 10:16-23
Jesus has told his apostles to announce the coming of the kingdom. One might expect that the kingdom would be received with openness and joy. But Jesus tells the apostles that just the opposite will be the case. Not only will the kingdom not be received gladly, but it will be rejected. Its proclaimers will experience rejection and suffering.
There will be persecution by civil and religious authorities. The kingdom will cause trouble–murderous trouble–in the midst of families. The apostles could expect to “be hated by all.”
Proclaiming the kingdom still brings hostility and rejection. Life issues and justice issues and marriage issues and honesty issues readily elicit discord, even in polite society. How does that affect my witness to the kingdom?
