Lambs and Coppersmiths

"I am sending you out like lambs among wolves."

(Luke 10:3)

…said Jesus.

And (also) in today’s Readings st.Paul said:

Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of harm;

… he has been bitterly contesting everything that we say.

… I had to present my defence,

there was not a single witness to support me.
(2 Tim:4:14-16)

...right from the very start the Church endured persecution and even heresy!

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Jesus had said:

"For if men do these things when the tree is green,

what will happen when it is dry?"

(Luke 23:31)

...indeed!!!
The Church has ALWAYS been persecuted!

From mild persecution ...like being called a drunk (Acts 2:13) to attrocious persecution ...being stoned (like st.Stephen), beheaded (like st.Paul), burnt alive (like st.Lawrence), devoured by lions (like st.Ignatius of Antioch) and any other atrocity i/you can …but don’t want to… imagine.

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"Every one of them deserted me -

may they not be held accountable for it."

(2 Tim 4:16)

Paul is (rightly) saddened by the fact that his ‘friends’ did not support him in defending the Truth. YET like Jesus on the cross he forgives them …furthermore it looks like he is asking God to dismiss punishing them for this which they have done!!

…that’s like what Stephen did too! It says in the Acts of the Apostles, that when Stephen was being stoned to death he:

“fell on his knees and cried out:

"Lord, do not hold this sin against them."

(Acts 7:60)

The Church was (and still is) persecuted YES, but the Church is forgiving! …just as Jesus, whilst hanging on the cross was forgiving:

"Jesus said,

"Father, forgive them,

for they do not know

what they are doing."

(Luke 23:34)

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"I will not leave you as orphans;

I will come to you."

(John 14:18)

...Jesus had said.

And:

"the Lord stood by me and gave me power,

so that through me the whole message

might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear;

and so I was rescued from the lion's mouth."

(2 Tim 4:17)

...testifies Paul!!!

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"And I tell you that you are Peter,

and on this rock I will build my church,

and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

(Matt 16:18)

Despite all that the Church has endured, ...actually/probably ALSO because of all that… the Church has stood! The Church of God, founded by Jesus Christ Himself HAS and will continue to stand!

…that is God’s promise!
And God’s promise is forever!!!!!

Satan has done a lot to the Catholic Church

but try as he might he will NEVER win!!!!

I am Thankful 2 b Catholic! ;-)

...for the Catholic Church is
THE REAL CHURCH OF GOD!!!

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'The harvest is rich

but the labourers are few,

so ask the Lord of the harvest

to send labourers to his harvest."

(Luke 10:2)

…yes this is my prayer too...

God bless our Priests

and all those who seek

to serve The Church

in accomplishing

the mission God

has given Her.

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Today the Catholic Church celebrated the feast of st.Luke. Doctor and Follower of Jesus, he stood quite close to Paul so much so that he even journeyed with him!!! St.Luke also went through the bother of putting ink to parchment ;-) providing us with one of the most beautiful Gospels ever! (We've got the Parable of the Prodigal Son in that Gospel ;-). The Acts of the Apostles, which narrates the life of the Early Church, too is attributed to Luke. Yet the nicest part of it all ...at least for a Maltese... is that, along with Paul, he came ...or should i say ended up ;-)... to this tiny little island and praised us saying that we had welcomed them and treated them with "unusual kindness"!! :-) (Acts 28:2)

St.Luke is Patron Saint of Doctors.