Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Why is it that people try to snuff out what is good and innocent? School bullies pick on the quiet kid who is minding his own business. Abortion picks on the innocent life inside the womb. Parents who simply want to raise their children have their lives torn apart by the evil rampage of a gunman in a school. And Jesus is hunted down for proclaiming the truth that God is love and that he is One with God. Jesus said of God, “I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” And they tried to arrest him for this statement.
Evil will always pick on the innocent.
If we follow Jesus, we must be prepared to be picked on, abused, mocked, and perhaps even martyred. But we must never allow the harshness of the world, its accusations against us, or the temptations of the evil one, to tempt us to become like the people who oppose us. We must remain innocent, holy, faithful, and just.
The innocence of Jesus is the reason that we follow him alone. His innocence, which the world hated so much, is the innocence of God, who came to set us free. May we become more like him every day.