Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

As a child, you many have heard the old adage, “you are known by the company you keep,” from your parents as they warned you to avoid the class cut-up or neighborhood bully. Conversely, they advised, if you associate with the well-behaved or respected, teachers and those in authority will conclude that you, too, are worthy of their respect.

In today’s Gospel reading from John (Jn 15:18-21), Jesus warns his disciples that others will judge them by the company they keep, namely, the Son of God himself. These new Christians might engender hatred or persecution from the world due to their association with the Lord. However, we do not belong to this world, but the next, he reminds us, and his difficult precepts are lofty goals to which we must aspire despite the difficulty or ridicule.

“You are known by the company you keep.” Followers of Jesus: can you imagine better company??

Christina Leslie