Homily Twelfth Sunday Year A Do not be afraid
Homily
Twelfth Sunday Year A
Reading
1: The prophet Jeremiah, because he has spoken the word of God to the Chosen
People who had been unfaithful to God, is persecuted by them. The word he spoke
from God was something they did not want to receive or accept. God told them
that a time of chastisement is coming, in which they would be taken into exile
by their enemies. They were not to resist, but to surrender to the will of God.
Though
Jeremiah didn’t expect the strong negative response against him, he knew that
this word came from God and needed to be said. In the midst of the persecution,
where did Jeremiah find his comfort? He knew the Lord was the one who called
him and gave him the words to say. He knew that the Lord was with him in spite
of his difficulties.
Instead
of running away and hiding, Jeremiah trust himself to the Lord. Even when he
does, he is still imperfect. He wants to see the vengeance God will bring upon his
enemies. In the Gospel, Jesus shows us the perfect way, namely forgiveness.
Gospel:
Jesus begins by telling the twelve and us: Do not be afraid of what people may
do and do not be ashamed to proclaim the good news of God, his mercy. Do not be
afraid because of the possibility or reality of persecution, even death. God is
with us and will care for us.
What
are we to witness in the midst of difficulties? We are to proclaim the love of
God, his providence and his great mercy. We are to stand firm because God is
with us thought the storms of others’ anger rage around us.
In
Baptism, we were sealed with the oil of Chrism and told that we now share in
the life of Christ as priest, prophet and king. In Confirmation we were again
anointed by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of God’s love and mercy to us and
to others. When we came into the awareness and own the reality that God has
loved and saved us through his death and resurrection and shared his life with
us, then this revelation needs to be publicly proclaimed.
If
we act on that call and acknowledge what God has and is doing, Jesus promises
to acknowledge us before his Father. What does that mean? We will be with God
forever. But if we do not acknowledge him by silence or out of fear of what
people may do in response, Jesus will not acknowledge us before his Father.
What does that mean? Eternal alienation from God. If we deny him, he will deny
us. Wow!
To
reject Jesus is to reject the grace that he gives us. To ignore or reject what
he has commanded us to do in response to what he has done for us, is to be
ungrateful and thus unworthy of eternal life with him.
Reading
2: Paul acknowledges two realities: 1) that of sin and death and 2) that of God’s
grace and mercy. Sin is part of the life of each of us. We have all sinned many
times over, even after experiencing God’s mercy. But unmerited grace is the
remedy to sin. God’s forgives those who repent of their sins and turn back to
God. This grace comes from the death and resurrection of Jesus. We don’t earn it.
All we can do is receive it, like the tax collector in Jesus’ parable. He
recognized his sin and turned to the mercy of God, which he experienced.
What
lessons do we take from today’s scriptures? What response should we give to the
Word of God?
About the Author
0 comments