Jesus said to his disciples: “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33)
There was a film made in the 1950’s about the Catholic missions in North Carolina. It was called “In the Footsteps of the Tarheel Apostolate.” The final scene was of a priest celebrating Mass at an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The priest elevates the host, and then comes the voice over: “The Dream—Every North Carolinian a Catholic.” The Lord conquered the world—but he never said that we would nor that we should try. On the contrary, the Lord said that we would have troubles in the world . . . but not to be afraid.
