Gospel Reading – Matthew 10: 24-33
‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father.
And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven’.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is
Reflection
My friends Christianity is sometimes called a religion of fear. But here we hear Jesus assure us : no tiniest bird falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge –and “Every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows”.
Yes, he does remind us that we would not be that most precious of creatures, if we did not have in our hands the destiny of an undying soul – and that, aware of this privilege, we must not allow such a treasure to be lost. But at the same time we are to trust that the guidance of our lives is as much in the hands of a loving Father, as is the guidance – for good – of any of his creatures.
The message is: childlike trust. A growing child comes to fully appreciate the value of its life – while at the same time recognizing that the parent is going to take care of it. Therefore “Do not be afraid”. This is an invitation we encounter so often in the Bible. God is reminding us all the time that we can face our difficult choices without fear, trusting in his aid and protection.
- Do you trust God has your back?
- What protection?
