“Blessed are those who are persecuted”

Unfriendly waters do a friendly

Thing: curses, cataract-hurled

Stones, make the rough places

Smooth; a rushing whitewater stream

Of blasphemies hate-launched,

Then caught by the sun, sprays rainbow

Arcs across the Youghiogeny.

Savaged by the river’s impersonal

Attack the land is deepened to bedrock.

Wise passivities are learned

In quiet, craggy, occasional pools

That chasten the wild waters to stillness,

And hold them under hemlock green

For birds and deer to bathe and drink

In peace–persecution’s gift:

The hard-won, blessed letting be.

…from “Holy Luck” …from the book, “Subversive Spirituality” …by Eugene Peterson

* * * * * * *

…also from “The Message”: Matthew 5:

You are blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Not only that–count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens–give a cheer, even!–for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

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