Worth More Than Many Sparrows
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (25/06/2023)
(Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; Romans 5:12-1; Matthew 10:26-33)
Fr. Samuel Odeh
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).
There comes a time when we as believers face so much fear about the bad things that could happen to us in our lives. Security is a huge concern for us. We fear for our lives, our loved ones, our property, and our livelihood. Sometimes we fear that our lives may be in danger from enemies and persecutors and from misfortune. We fear rejection of our way of life and what we stand for. We fear falling out of favor with our friends and family. Our readings today provide us with the proper response and attitude of faith in such challenging situations.
In our first reading, the prophet Jeremiah facing hostility declares his assurance in God’s mighty presence and of the certain defeat and failure of his enemies and persecutors: “But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me”. The prophet then begs God in prayer to let him see God’s vengeance upon his enemies because he has committed his cause to God; he has entrusted his case to God.
In the second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are told that the great enemy of the Christian is sin, which came through Adam but has been defeated by Christ. Sin is also the reason why we fear so much evil befalling us. The good news is the hope that through Christ we can defeat sin. We can allow the righteousness of Christ rule over everything in our lives. Faith drives out fear.
Our gospel reading has Jesus reassuring his disciples of the care of God the Father for our lives even when we are faced with enemies and challenging situations. God knows and cares about what happens to each and every one of his children. We are extremely valuable and precious in the eyes of God and so bad things happening to us is a matter of great concern to him. Jesus promises us in today’s gospel reading that if we declare our partnership with him openly then he can guarantee his representation on our behalf before God the Father: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven…” (Matthew 10:32). With Jesus pleading for us we can feel safe under God’s protection. Today we ask Jesus to set us free from whatever would keep us prisoners of fear and useless worry. May Jesus deliver us, Amen.
