We are still celebrating Easter, so it may feel strange to hear words of warning from Jesus. He says, if the world hated Him, it would hate his followers. Even further, "If they persecuted me, they would persecute you also" (Jn. 15:20).

The reason for this warning is that we do not belong to the world. We do not share the same values and goals as the secular world. Jesus has chosen us to be different.

If we follow Jesus and live by what the Gospel tells us, then we should not be surprised by the tension and opposition we still face in this life. However, we are not alone - the Risen Lord is with us now.

In Acts, we hear of Paul and Timothy travelling from town to town, spreading the Gospel and encouraging the believers. How can they be so brave? It is because they are not alone: "the Holy Spirit", "the Spirit of Jesus" is guiding and helping them at each step (Acts 16:6,7). They discover that this Spirit is greater than any conflict they will face.

Do we face conflicts in our lives because we are followers of Jesus?