St. Paul of the Cross

Luke 12:8-12

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. While Jesus’ disciples did not always manage to remain courageous when the going got rough, they never gave up trying. We recall their great fear when the fishing boat began to sink. We remember how they tried to talk him out of getting crucified. We remember how they abandoned him and fled the Garden of Gethsemane.  Yet they all to this day are called SAINT with the exception of one of them.