Blessed Are You 

   “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you on falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Matt 5: 11 – 12) 

   These words need to be in our thoughts in today’s world.  More and more society is pushing God away and doing all in their power to remove Him from the public square.  More and more Christians are under attack both verbally and physically.  It is as if war has been declared against any who would follow our Lord.

   The apostles knew this to be true.  With the one exception of St. John, all were martyred.  Under numerous persecutions the early Christians suffered greatly.  Many were tortured and killed in the most horrific ways.  Christians have been under attack in one form or another to one degree or another since our Lord walked this earth and there is no doubt it will continue until He comes again.

   Our constitution clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (emphasis mine).  Yet our government fails to protect these rights and even subverts this amendment in actively suppressing the right to free exercise of religion.  Attacks on those who openly profess their religious objections to immorality are ignored.  Rarely, if ever, are the attackers identified, arrested or prosecuted.

   Christianity has always been looked down upon by the elites who think they know better than anyone else, including God.  The elites of society and even those in government are no different.  In these times we must remember that we are blessed when we are persecuted, and evil is wished upon us.  May we have the courage and faith of those who have come before us, perhaps hated, perhaps persecuted, but proudly proclaiming our faith.