Sunday, June 25, 2023

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, June 25, 2023

(Jeremiah 20:10-13; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33)

Today's gospel is taken from the "apostolic sermon" of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. It is one of the five great discourses that make up the body of the gospel. We heard from the beginning of this sermon last Sunday with Jesus sending out his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom. Next Sunday we will hear part of its conclusion. In the segment now Jesus wants to encourage his messengers. We should listen to him because, whether we are priests or laypersons, the Lord asks us to take his message to the world.

First Jesus tells his apostles, "Do not be afraid." It is certain that they will meet with opposition. Bandits roam the roads looking for travelers. In the towns the Pharisees will resist those who undermine their authority. What will make us afraid to proclaim the Kingdom in today’s world? In Nigeria, Muslim militia have created fear among Christians. With impunity they attack the faithful in churches and take children prisoners in schools. In our country the fear is not of being annihilated but devalued. If the person proclaims her faith in public, she may be considered childish. If he expresses Catholic teaching on a political issue, he can be excluded. He may even incur penalties for taking a stand against a new state policy.

However, we do not have to fear because of God’s promise. In the gospel today Jesus recommends trust in God. He says that if the Father takes care of the birds of the sky, he will protect us even more. Trevor Williams, a major league baseball player, was confident in this love when he criticized the Los Angeles Dodgers on Twitter. Realizing that the Dodgers were going to award a group that dresses up as nuns to promote homosexual love, Williams proclaimed: “To invite and honor a group that makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion…undermines the values of respect and inclusivity that should be upheld by any organization”. “

It is possible that Mr. Williams had our gospel today in mind when he tweeted about it. Jesus promises his apostles: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my Father." Williams concluded his message by saying: "As Catholics, we look to Jesus Christ and the way he was treated, and we realize that any suffering in this world unites us to him in the next."

Maybe we don't have a Twitter account. Nor have we the apparatus or the inclination to set up a loudspeaker at the corner to broadcast our faith in the Lord. Yet we do not lack opportunities to manifest our faith in public. If we are used to praying before eating at home, why not do it in a restaurant? Wearing such a cross necklace can be a show of faith. In fact, in England it is considered a crime for a teacher to wear such a necklace in the classroom. Leaving a movie theater or turning off the TV when obscene scenes are shown is an act of faith that requires courage.  Gratefully accepting a baby with Down syndrome may indicate faith. We should pray that God never puts us in the situation of having a loved one in the persistent vegetable state. But if he happens to us, let us proclaim faith our faith by giving him the care required to live.

In the first reading the prophet Jeremiah is being denounced by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Led by the Holy Spirit, he says that because of its sins God is going to destroy his city. Although his prophecy results in persecution, he does not cease to proclaim God's will. He is sure that his persecutors will be put to shame. He knows that God is on the side of the just.

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