Missionary Renegade: Daily Meditation for Wednesday, 31 May 2017 : "Jesus Is Persecuted" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Daily Meditation for Wednesday, 31 May 2017 : "Jesus Is Persecuted" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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DAILY MEDITATION:

"Jesus Is Persecuted"

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com

Jesus, the favorite Child of God, is persecuted. He who is poor, gentle, mourning; he who hungers and thirsts for uprightness; is merciful, pure of heart and a peacemaker is not welcome in this world. The Blessed One of God is a threat to the established order and a source of constant irritation to those who consider themselves the rulers of this world. Without his accusing anyone he is considered an accuser, without his condemning anyone he makes people feel guilty and ashamed, without his judging anyone those who see him feel judged. In their eyes, he cannot be tolerated and needs to be destroyed, because letting him be seems like a confession of guilt.

When we want to become like Jesus, we cannot expect always to be liked and admired. We have to be prepared to be rejected.

For further reflection...

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master's business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I say: Love each other. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." [John 15: 15-18 (NIV)]

Your response...

How easily do you handle rejection?

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Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.

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HNS Spring Appeal - Thank You! for Wednesday, 31 May 2017 - The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

HNS Spring Appeal 2017

THANK YOU

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have responded to the Henri Nouwen Society annual Spring Appeal with both your financial support and your prayers.

The extent of our work is expanding each year and we are so pleased that Henri's reach is now truly global. The success of our outreach continues to depend on the generosity of people like you. We are all so very grateful for your support.

It has been twenty-one years since his death and Henri's influence is perhaps more significant today than when he was alive. Thank you for helping us extend his legacy. "The beauty of life is that it bears fruit

long after life itself has come to an end."

- Henri Nouwen

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