others will be denied before the angels of God. There will be pardon for the one who
criticizes the Son of Man, but there will be no pardon for the one who slanders the
Holy Spirit. When you are brought before the synagogues, and before governors and
rulers, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself, or what to say; for the Holy
Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say.”

Reflect

“A missionary journey.” Our faith journey is always a missionary journey. The basic
orientation of every missionary should be other-oriented. Once we begin to become
self-oriented. self-contained and self-confined, we cease to become a true missionary
for the sake of Jesus and of the Gospel. A true missionary will always be met with
challenges and difficulties. At times, we experience discouragements, frustrations
and disappointments while doing our mission. Sometimes we may experience lack of
support from fellow believers. There are also times when our apprehensions and
fears would paralyze us and hold us back from doing our mission. Fear of rejection
and of failure may become hindrances for us to go out of our comfort zones. As
missionaries, we may also experience persecutions. For example, it is part of our
Christian mission to give witness to a life of Gospel values. Concretely, leading
a simple lifestyle in the time of climate crisis is something that is aligned with the
Gospel values expected of a true missionary. When we chose to live up to this challenge
of a simple lifestyle, we may experience persecution from the world where consumerism
reigns. The Holy Spirit will surely help us to accomplish our mission amidst challenges
and difficulties.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024