This selection of readings for this 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time reflect the theme of fear. No matter the day and age that this homily is given it should easy to sum up some of the fears that we hold within our heart. In this day and age fear has been summed up for us in the form of a virus known as COVID-19. In the past fear has been stirred up due to war, economic insecurity, and racial injustice to name a few. Despite some of these fears taking place in the past they sadly continue to be a part of our human reality.
At the heart of fear is a lack of trust placed in the merciful Hands of Christ. I am reminded of the apostles who headed out into the sea. There they came to be beat about by the storm and in their fear they awoke Christ. Here He came to rebuke them for their lack of faith. Hopefully we can further prefect our faith in Him. The reality is that which surrounds us has been touched by the reality of the Fall, but despite the sin of Adam we have come to be redeemed by Christ who offers Himself for us out of love as the perfect oblation upon the cross.
In the Gospel of Saint Matthew Christ commanded His apostles: “Fear no one.” So too He instructs us as such. If we base our security upon the passing reality of this world we will always be left with reason to be filled with fear without the glimmer of hope. Instead we should be consoled in the reality of life eternal. If we pursue the Kingdom of God above all things we have nothing to fear except for missing out on this reality to our insistence to not be moved away from the world and closer to Christ.
I always find solace is praying the 1st Preface for the dead at a Funeral Mass. It states: “life has changed, but not ended.” So often we live our life as if everything we have to strive for is the here and now. Therefore, we are to amass wealth and earthly pleasure if we are to be happy. This mentality never leads towards true happiness, but an endless pursuit of something that can never leave us filled. Again, we must “fear no one” and come to trust in the Lord.
The reality of the matter is, that fear will continue to overcome us in this life. We will continue to be touched by temptation, we will continue to be touched by hardship, and we will continue to be touched by persecution. Nevertheless, may we find our solace in the never changing reality of Christ Jesus. Here may we come to place our trust in His Merciful Hands in order that we may be filled with faith and hope no matter what may come our way. Truly, the Lord gives us no cross which is too great for us to bear for He Has already bore the wood of the tree which brought redemption into this world. May we remember that we are now headed towards the Kingdom of Heaven by coming to embrace this reality in how we come to live and order our life on earth.
May we truly be sent forth from here with true hope and joy in order that we may “fear no one,” but instead come to place our trust in His Merciful Hands of our Lord always.
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