Reading 1
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!"
Gospel
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."
Reflection
In today’s Mass readings, we see a portrait of God’s dependable and loving justice. Rather than counting on impersonal cosmic forces to right wrongs, as the popular notion of karma proposes, we as Christians trust that God will ensure the definitive triumph of justice over evil. Instead of a cold focus on payback or balance, God’s justice is about bringing all things to their rightful end. Chief among those ends is bringing us to Himself, no matter who we face or what trials we encounter.
Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Fear no one,” and gives four reasons for this bold demand. First, “nothing is concealed that will not be revealed.” We can trust that God sees the truth of our situation, even if we feel that those who whisper against us face no consequences. God is already taking care of us, and at the end of time, He will not allow any lies or hurts to endure.
Second, Christ reminds us that even though others may harm our bodies, they do not have the power to “destroy” our souls. Only our own free choices can condemn us, and God, who gave us this freedom, will permit this damnation if we choose it. So, we only need fear our own sin, and only to the extent that we fail to surrender it to God for forgiveness.
Third, Jesus reminds us of our infinite value in the eyes of the Father. “Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” When we reflect on the justice of God, we should not imagine an impassive judge, but rather a Father who knows us entirely, loves us infinitely, and desires eternity with us.
Lastly, Our Lord assures us that He will treat us according to the relationship that we choose. If we treat Him like our savior, publicly acknowledging and loving Him, then He will in turn acknowledge us before the Father. The converse is therefore also true. If we choose to treat Jesus as a stranger, a figure absent or even hostile to us, then He will respect that choice and behave accordingly.
Thus, we can proclaim with Jeremiah from our first reading: “the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” All life belongs to God—He will take care of us always, and He will vanquish every evil.
Please be assured of my prayers for you before Our Lord, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
+ Bishop Schlert
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