Father Matthew's Sunday Homily

Sunday Mass - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 25, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FU9HOb8-Q4

Who gets scared? That sounds like a stupid question. At some point in our lives we will all get scared. And don’t you think people in the bible got scared? I mean obviously you will think, yes Jesus had to have been scared during his crucifixion, yes, he probably was. But today we hear of some people who were scared in the bible.

In the first reading Jeremiah was sacred, people were chasing him, they were truing to trap him to get vengeance on him, but her was not scared, for the Lord was on his side, like a might champion. He will prevail over those who do wrong. Jeremiah was a prophet of God he wrote the words God spoke to him. He knows that God will protect him he has faith in him. As Jeremiah says “I have entrusted my cause” to God, a deep faith. No matter what comes along, Jeremiah has no fear, because God is there to protect him. For God has rescued the poor, from the power of the wicked. He will protect us with faith, no matter who we are even if we are poor, he will protect us from those who seek to do bad.

In the Second Reading from Saint Paul. Death and sin has reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin, after the trespass if Adam. After this “pattern” of Adam who id the person to come. He says the gift is not like the transgression, For by the transgression of one manmy dies, than how many more did thte grace of god and the gift of Christ Jesus overflow for many. For even though sin and death may live on the earth there is still our hope in God and hiis gracious gift, that was accomplished by God.

In the Gospel from Matthew Jesus said to the twelve, Fear No One. This is may seem odd to say, fear no one. We all fear, and it is hard to fear no one, especially when someone has malicious intentions. But he continues, Nothing Concealed will not be revealed, nor secret to be known, what is said in darkness say in the light, what is whispered speak on rooftops, one who kills the body does not kill the soul. Be afraid of that who kills soul and body in Gehenna. He tells us there is nothing to fear, what is concealed will one day be revealed. A secret will one day be known. What is done and said in dark or silence, we should say in the light and out loud. Those with intention of malicious to harm and kill, do not kill our soul, they kill our body. Our soul will live on that is in heaven. But he says fear the one in Gehenna who destroys both Soul and Body. The one in Gehenna is the Devil. And Gehenna can be a symbol for anything evil and life destroying, destroying that of the Body and that of the Soul to cut us of from God, and to keep us away from heaven. And he repeats do not be afraid, we are worth more than the sparrows, God knows the hairs on our head and he knows when the sparrow drops, we who accept Christ before others, he will acknowledge him before God, the Heavenly Father. And those who deny Christ wil deny. God knows all and he will protect us. He knows the number of hairs on our heads.

When we find ourselves in distress. When we find that we are in trouble, in danger. No matter what, god is there to protect us. If we are like Jeremiah in the first reading we must keep our faith asking God for his protection. And like Jesus says in the Gospel, that is concealed and hidden and in the dark, will be revealed and in the light. There is nothing to fear when you have God on your side. For when we have faith in God, nothing on earth can hold a candle to that in heaven. So there is nothing to fear now.

I would like to bring up a little modern event. If you have not seen the news or the million other people of the news. A submersible or basically a submarine made to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, called Titan. Was found to have imploded by the wreckage. Leaving five members in it dead. I ask that even thought the members are dead, and there is sadly nothing too find. I ask that you pray for them and their families. Death is sad, and when you did not get say a final good bye or anything and nothing to present at a funeral, brings a load of sad to the family. So I ask you pray. They luckily, although that is not realy the word, had a quick death. They did not suffer. It’s sad. Please pray for the families of these people who have died in the implosion. If you have not heard about it I invite you to read more about it. I will hopefully have posted an article about it on the Blog on the new website. But if you want to learn more please look on the news. I am sure it will be on for weeks now as possible information and interviews with family and others come along.

But during this week I invite you to think about the things that you are afraid of. And I invite you to look at the daily things that you are afraid of and then to remember how Jesus said to fear nothing, to be afraid of nothing. In the words of St. John Paul II, Be Not Afraid. Be Not Afraid of the daily things in life. Be not afraid of our worst fears. BE NOT AFRAID!