Many times we wondered: why are the righteous persecuted? If we retrace the history of humanity the list of people who have lived for truth, for justice, for peace and have been persecute could be very long. Some have even paid with their lives. Obviously we immediately think of Jesus but I assure you there are many others and not all of them were Christians. Why? Because whoever spreads freedom irritate those who hold the power. Because those who do good implicitly denounce those who do evil.

Dear brothers and sisters, for us followers of Christ, the choice of good, honesty, justice is a priority. If we are serious we must prepare: First – people will not always say thank you for the good you do (but this is the minimum). Second: Someone will call you stupid because being honest and doing good you don’t earn anything. Third: if you love justice and are honest you will always find someone who lives and wants to remain into illegality – know that he can’t stand you because you embarrass him.

The text of the book of Wisdom, written 50 to 80 years before Jesus, referred to a righteous who calls himself the son of God, a religious man whose way of life is completely at odds with that of other people. They want to test him with very painful means and then even want to sentence him to death to see if anyone comes to save him. Probably Jesus did not know this book because it had been written a short time before in the Greek language and was only in Greek circles.

The first Christians, reading this passage from Wisdom, had an instrument to understand Jesus’ death, his choices, fidelity to the proclamation of the Gospel in a situation of rejection, where there was the risk of dying. They too, like their Master, experienced fierce persecution and found strength and courage knowing that the most important thing was and still is for us to walk in the direction of good, taking into account that we have no guarantee of being loved, well-liked, respected, especially if we are consistent, if we say the truth and denounce injustice. Jesus told us: Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.” (Mt 5:12). If someone will makes fun of you or persecute you because of the gospel, because of your Christian identity, because of your way of life as a righteous one, you are walking well. Be sure!

In today’s Gospel we see how the text from the book of Wisdom is a real prophecy about Jesus. Already in the previous chapters we have been able to notice the hostility that exists towards him. Already in the first verse it is said that someone wanted to kill him. Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the joyful feast of Tabernacles, a feast that had taken on a strong messianic connotation. There was a rumor that the Messiah would manifest himself on this very festival and would come to make everything right. Everyone was very clear who was the Messiah and what the Messiah had to do. But Jesus upsets everything, he is a spiritual Messiah and not a military, he is one who came to serve, not to be served; he is one who will give his life for all.

“We know where this man come from”. Those people thought they knew everything about Jesus but in reality they didn’t know anything. This is why they reject him. Look at the risk of thinking that we know everything about Jesus: we too take it. The temptation to “put it in our pockets” and make him say the things we want to say is there and always will be. But the more we read the Gospel in depth, the more we realize how he is always one step ahead of us, how Jesus does not conform to any scheme, any tradition or law, how he always goes against the tide, how he tells the truth on each of us and on history. He came to reveal the face of the Father to us, he is the only one who has seen God and who knows God. No one will be able to reach God without passing through him.

Brother, sister, once again today he calls you to follow him. Do not go around in circles; courage, trust him! You will experience real life!

God’s Word is our light and our salvation!