Jesus reminds us that the world's hatred for His disciples reveals hatred for Him.

He adds that if they persecuted the Son of God, his own will be treated no better.

Francis was convinced that only love and courtesy extinguish hatred, and in the face of persecution for Christ it is important to persevere in the call received.

In the Legend of the Three Companions we read:

"As he prolonged his stay there, his father, worried, went looking for where his son had gone.

He thus came to know that, completely transformed, he was living near San Damiano.

The man was deeply saddened by this and, shocked by his son's unbelievable turn of events, he called his friends and neighbours and in all fury rushed to San Damiano.

When Francis, having become a knight of Christ, learnt that his own men were threatening him, and that his father was about to burst in on him, in order to dodge his father's violent wrath, he went to take refuge in a secret cave, which he had prepared for the purpose, and remained hidden there for a whole month.

The cave was known to only one member of the family.

From time to time, he would bring the abducted volunteer some food, which he consumed without being seen.

And he prayed with abundant tears that the Lord would deliver him from that persecution and lovingly help him to realise his aspirations' (FF 1416).

And again:

"One day, inflamed with enthusiasm, he left the cave and set out for Assisi, lively, brisk and gay. Armed with trust in Christ and inflamed with heavenly love, he reproached himself with cowardice and vain trepidation, and boldly decided to expose himself to the hands and blows of the persecutors.

At the first sight of him, those who knew him as he was before began to insult him, shouting that he was mad and senseless, throwing mud and stones at him.

Seeing him so changed, exhausted by penances, they attributed his change to exhaustion and dementia.

'But the knight of Christ passed through that storm without taking any notice of it, not letting himself be struck and agitated by the insults, giving thanks to God instead' (FF 1417).

Being called by God for his Kingdom involves living in the footsteps of Christ.

The servant is not superior to his master and is certainly tested as he is.

Strengthened by this, Francis lived in unity with Jesus the persecution of those who neither considered nor lived the Word of God.

«If the world hates you, know that it hated me first» (Jn 15:18)

Saturday of the 5th wk. in Easter  (Jn 15:18-21)