Fear No One (Twelfth Sunday In Ordinary Time)

Reflection

1. Fear no one:

Today, Jesus says that fear no one.

We live in constant fear of something.

We read in the first reading, where Jeremiah says:

“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.’” (Jeremiah 20:10)

People wait to accuse us, point finger at us, denounce us, criticise us, betray us, deny us, take revenge on us, watch over us when we take wrong steps to push us down.

We live in the world of competition for everything.

Our slight mistake lead us to fall down.

Presently, we live in the fear of a virus, we live in the fear of death, we live in the fear of sickness, we live in the fear of broken relationships, we live in the fear of financial crisis, we live in the fear of what lies before us, we live in the fear of what may come in future after this COVID-19 pandemic.

At this moment of constant fear in our lives, Jesus promises us that we are worth more than anything. Hence, fear no one.

2. You are worth more than anything:

Jesus says that even the hairs of our head are all counted. (Matthew 10:30)

In addition, He says if a sparrow is taken care so much, you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31)

Jeremiah says:

“The LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:

      my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” (Jeremiah 20:11)

The Lord our God is with us as a mighty warrior.

God the Father started His salvation work with Abraham saying, fear not I am with you.

Jesus repeated again and again that fear not I am with you till the end of the age.

Whose age?

It is our age.

So,

What is my role?

3. Witnessing to the truth:

Jeremiah says:

“let me witness the vengeance you take on them,

      for to you I have entrusted my cause.” (Jeremiah 20:12)

Jesus says: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others.” (Matthew 10:32)

How do we witness?

How do we acknowledge?

I witness and acknowledge by entrusting to the grace of God and the gracious gift of Jesus Christ as St. Paul says in his letter to the Romans (Rom 5:12-15).

Paul says:

“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.” (Rom 5:15)

We have grace of God, and the gracious gift of His Son Jesus Christ with us.

We fear no one but we entrust in the grace of God all our causes and He will empower us to reach out many in grace and love witnessing the overflowing grace to many.

No pandemic can overpower us because we have the gracious gift of Jesus with us.

So,

Fear no one and you are of the more value in the world.