Twelfth
Sunday in OT A 2023
“Are not two
sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not
one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are
counted. So, do not be afraid; you are
worth more than many sparrows.”
How
believable are these words of Jesus? ”Even
all the hairs of your head are counted. So,
do not be afraid.” How would life be for
us if we stop being afraid?
In fact, when
you reflect upon this, “Do not be afraid” is perhaps the most often repeated
statement in the Scriptures.
In the first Scripture reading, the Prophet Jeremiah needed
to hear those words of Jesus: “Do not be afraid.” He was the reluctant prophet. He knew what it was to be afraid. Indeed, Jeremiah’s prophetic career was
riddled with countless fearsome experiences.
When called by God, he feared he was too young. He feared he would not know what to say or
how to speak to his contemporaries in God’s name. He feared facing others with the truth of
their sinfulness. He feared to speak
God’s Word. He feared not to speak it as
well, and when he spoke it, he feared its consequences. In the Scripture reading today, his hearers
wanted to denounce Jeremiah and to lay a trap for him. You didn’t have to tell Jeremiah about
fear. He was an expert on the subject.
Are we in some ways like the prophet Jeremiah? Is fear the background music of most of our
lives? Do we even fear the cost of doing
the right things at times?
To the first disciples, Jesus says: “Fear no one…What I say
to you in the darkness, speak in the light.
What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops…Do not be
afraid.”
What does Jesus do after giving these awesome marching
orders to his disciples? Give them body
cameras to wear. Or perhaps sell them
life insurance if things didn’t turn out so well. Give them bullet-proof vests. Teach them how to diffuse conflict. No!
Jesus simply repeats: “Do not be afraid.”
What about ourselves and our fears?
How can we really stop being afraid? As we dig down deeper, there is an aspect of
fear that is healthy for all of us. For
example, we should have a healthy fear of the corona virus. Common sense tells us at times we should be
cautious about our health and safety.
So, there is an aspect of fear that is built into us that
seeks to keep us safe.
However, the message of Jesus calls us in a deeper sense not
to be afraid. Is there something we can
do to stop being afraid? No. The only way we can stop being afraid is if
we trust in God’s promise to us. The God
who watches over even the commonest of birds will take care of us. Our best response to God’s promise is simply
to celebrate, rejoice, and give thanks.
Yes, but…Who can believe this? Who can live without fear? We are suspicious even of promises. We are always hearing of promises that aren’t
kept. Even the promises made on one’s
wedding are not always kept. Regrettably,
the life experience of many of us have taught us to be suspicious of promises.
Yet Jesus made many incredible far-reaching promises: not only about God knowing every hair on our
heads and promising to care for us, but also remember some of the other promises
of Jesus: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” “I go to prepare a place for you.” “I am with you always.” “I tell you, your sins are forgiven.” From the Beatitudes: those who mourn will be comforted; the meek
will inherit the earth; the pure in heart will see God.”
Some of the first disciples believed that when Jesus was
crucified, these promises seemed to be all cancelled out. He had failed. He was just a dreamer. Even his disciples no longer followed. In the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
they are nowhere to be seen at the crucifixion.
All of them deserted and fled.
Pete denied even knowing Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
Jesus’ death was not the end of the story. God raised Jesus. God made sure that Jesus could keep his
promises. Even death will not keep Jesus
from keeping the promises He has made to us, because if we die with Him and we
will be raised with Him. That’s a
promise. And it’s the basis for our hope
in all the other promises. Even the
sparrows don’t fall to the ground apart from God the Father, and we are of
greater value than many sparrows.
From the Gospel, Jesus says that “Everyone who acknowledges
me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” That’s a promise.
In our spiritual journey given perhaps our old eyes of
experience where we have been hurt, are we able to embrace the promises of the
one who lived and died and rose again so that we no longer have to be afraid.
Yes, we have
fragile bodies, but as a people of faith, what would it take for us to live in
the freedom of the children of God? What
would it take for us to be convicted that fear must give way to hope?
For us as
the disciples of Jesus, fear is not an option.
Today that same crucified and risen Lord is in our midst,
allowing us to stop being afraid because of the powerful love of God on which
the promise is based: “Even the hairs of
your head are counted; you are of more value than many sparrows.” The promise continues in the mystery of the
Eucharist as we hear Jesus say that “this bread is my body, given for you,” and
“this wine is my blood, shed for you.”
We receive Christ in the bread and wine because He promises to share His
life with us. Do not be afraid; I am
with you; even the hairs on your hear are counted; and you live in the midst of
God’s unending love for you.
Just echo the word 'trust' as you sit in
silence;
let this gift and call
of trust fill your being.
Sacred heart of Jesus,
I place all my trust in you
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