“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” – Matthew 5:11-12, WEB
Why should I care about what others say? You make me happy, I’m satisfied. Let them tease, let them shout. It doesn’t matter. Such words don’t count. What matters is Your presence now.
You are, O, Lord, my all. For You I surrender all. Let the crowds mock me. Let them judge me. I don’t care. All I care about is who I am before Your Eyes.
You know me through and through, what I can and cannot do. Still You have called me Yours. You pursued me and found me. Without my mask, You loved me. And now my only joy is to love you back!
“Evil draws its power from indecision and concern for what other people think.” – Pope Benedict XVI
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"