St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us – 

Courage is what Jesus calls for in today’s gospel. He tells his followers that they have nothing to fear in the face of persecution if they remain committed. He promises that the Holy Spirit will enable them to endure great difficulties. They need not worry about opposition from others. In giving a Christ-like response to some of life’s problems we openly declare our acceptance of Jesus’ invitation to be among his followers.