You Are Worth Many Sparrows
Jun 25: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings are about fear. Everyone experiences fear, for one reason or another. Or several.
The opposite of fear isn’t bravery, as the thesaurus would have you believe. Bravery is a reaction to fear—
No, fear’s opposite and antidote is hope. According to the Catechism,1 hope is “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength.”
Trust in God is the antidote to fear.
Reading 1
Jer 20:10-13
Jeremiah said: "I hear the whisperings of many: 'Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!' All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. 'Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.'
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!"
It seems like everyone is against Jeremiah. But there’s one person always on his side—the Lord. Jeremiah holds out his hope that God will delivery him from his enemies. He’s not afraid of them; in his hope, he’s already praising the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
For your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother's children,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness;
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
the seas and whatever moves in them!''
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
The psalmist puts up with shame and insults, because those are the cost of being faithful to God.
At the time this was written, Jewish theologians hadn’t developed belief in an afterlife, so the faithful prayed to see God’s reply in the here and now. We, however, know that death is not the end; thus not only do we not have to fear death, we also can have hope in justice in the afterlife.
Reading 2
Rom 5:12-15
Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.
Adam sinned, which allowed death into the world, but we’ve all sinned. We can just blame Adam.
On the flip side, Jesus gave His life for us. We’re not all asked to make that sacrifice, because Jesus’ is so great, it grants all of us access to Heaven, if we accept it.
Alleluia
Jn 15:26b, 27a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord;
and you also will testify.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus does, however, ask us to imitate Him. That may require dying. If we’re afraid, we’ll have to be brave in the face of death. But better than bravery is hope, that Jesus will raise us up like He did Himself.
Gospel
Mt 10:26-33
Jesus said to the Twelve: "Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
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. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
At this point in the Gospel, Jesus is still preparing to reveal Himself to the world. Part of this preparation is letting the Apostles know that they’re going to have to preach this to everyone in the world. They’re likely going to be persecuted, as Jeremiah and the Psalmist were.
But Jesus doesn’t want them, or us, to be afraid. God cares about the world; the world is good. He loves us most of all.
So, don’t be brave in the face of persecution. Have hope that when you “acknowledge [Jesus] before others,” he “will acknowledge [you] before [his] heavenly Father,” too.