Jesus prepares his people for hardship and persecution. He knows that they will suffer the consequences of following him. He prepares himself for the final giving of self. Today we still find Christians who “suffer persecution for righteousness,” even with the shedding of their blood. Jesus prophesied it, but in those moments of testimony, He encourages us be strong…even to that parrhesia (candid speech, speaking freely. It implies not only freedom of speech, but the obligation to speak the truth for the common good, even at personal risk) that confronts the great. Pope Francis insists that we as Christians overcome appearances and worldliness, he says: “holy, but not worldly”…Christians who are not fake artists. Jeanne de Lestonnac suffered a lot of criticism, misunderstanding of her project, even persecution. She was a woman who bore witness to “overcome the world” by humility, silence, and prayer.