Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/567

 of men;  for  they  will  deliver  you  up  in  councils,  and  they  will scourge you  in  their  synagogues. And you  shall  be  brought  before governors and  before  kings,  for  My  sake. The disciple  is  not above his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord. Fear not those that  kill  the  body,  and  cannot  kill  the  soul;  but  rather  fear Him that  can  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell.

“Whosoever, therefore,  shall  confess  Me  before  men,  I will also confess  him before  My  Father  who  is  in  heaven. But whosoever shall  deny  Me  before  men,  I will  also  deny  him  before  My Father  who  is  in  heaven. He that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than Me, is  not  worthy  of  Me. And he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter more than  Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me. And he  that  taketh  not  up his  cross  and  followeth  Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me. He that  findeth his life,  shall  lose  it; and  he  that  shall  lose  his  life  for  My  sake, shall find  it. He that  receiveth  you,  receiveth  Me,  and  he  that receiveth Me,  receiveth  Him  that  sent  Me. And whosoever  shall give to  drink  to  one  of  these  little  ones  a cup  of  cold  water only in  the  name  of  a disciple,  Amen,  I say  to  you,  he  shall  not lose his  reward.”

When our  Divine  Lord  had  thus  told  his  apostles  what  they had to  expect  from  the  world,  He  sent  them,  two  by  two,  into every city  and  place,  preaching  the  word  of  God,  and  doing  the work that  He  had  commanded  them  to  do.

The prayer  of  Jesus.  Why  did  our  Lord  pass  the  night  in  prayer before choosing  His  apostles? What was  it  that  He  laid  before  His heavenly Father  as  He  knelt  all  alone? He was  about  to  take  an  important step,  and  to  lay  the  foundation  of  His  Church  by  this  choice of His  apostles. He prayed  for  those  whom  He  was  about  to  choose, and for  their  successors,  as  well  as  for  the  countless  Jews  and  Gentiles