12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 25/6/2023 - Gospel: Mt 10: 26-33
Divine Grace
Fear is a personal experience we all have. It comes suddenly, and has an instant impact. Common fears often come quickly and go fast. They make us nervous, and shake our bodies, but don't rob our spirit. One of the reasons for fear is the unknown. We don't know what will happen to us, or how severe a punishment would be. The extreme form of fear is death, a capital punishment. The victim is being eliminated. When power is carried out illegitimately; the victim is dead; the oppressor lives with no peace and would be troubled by his own conscience for life. There is another fear, and that is the fear of being uncovered for misdeeds. Jesus tells his disciples if the crime was well covered in this life; it would be uncovered in the next life. He said, nothing is hidden forever; sooner or later, evil actions will be uncovered. Those who think they are invincible are dead wrong; The power they now have; is very limited both in terms of its boundary; and time limit. Human power is limited to a person's death. After death, the oppressor can do nothing more.
The fear, Jesus talks to his disciples about is not a common one, but a deeper, and more profound fear. It affects us now in this life; and has everlasting consequences in the life to come. God has absolute power. His power is everlasting, with no time limit, and universal because he is the King of the entire universe. When Pilate told Jesus that he had the power to crucify him; or set him free, Jesus reminded him that he had no power over him, if God didn't give him in the first place. That made Pilate realize, that the power he now has, is given. Because it is given; it can be taken away. It is restricted within his jurisdiction; and his kingdom.
Eliminating a human life is always wrong. It is driven by hatred. Apart from God, no one has power over the life and death of others. The power we have is to protect life, promote peace and maintain justice, not to kill or destroy life. Claiming to have absolute power over others is a false claim. Jesus told his disciples that people can kill the body, but not the soul. Using your power with justice or exploitation of power is all one can do. To give consolation to his disciples, Jesus told them, when they are fearful; just remember that God is near. God takes care of all of God's creation. God takes care of us even more than caring for his creation. If we believe that a hair in our head has been counted; then we believe that God knows well our suffering and pain, and worries. We are united to God; so when we suffer, God suffered; when we feel pain and fear, God feels pain and fear. This intimate union is not forgotten, but it will be uncovered in God's kingdom. It is revealed in the saying,
'Anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven'. Mt 10.32
There is a difference in killing. People kill because of hatred or retribution. Out of love, God calls us to himself. The account of creation mentions God's garden. Each of us is a flower in God's garden. We take home flowers from the garden because we love them. God calls someone to himself; we believe God loves them like we like to have flowers at home. God has the full right to do with his own creation. When God calls a person out of this world; we understand that God makes a relocation, placing that person to where God wants that person to be. Every single new birth or reborn into eternal life is part of God's grand plan arrangement. When we view life in that way; it will lessen the fear of death, because in this life we try to follow God's way; but it will increase the fear of death for those who follow the way of the world.
We pray to trust in God's divine grace.
The fear, Jesus talks to his disciples about is not a common one, but a deeper, and more profound fear. It affects us now in this life; and has everlasting consequences in the life to come. God has absolute power. His power is everlasting, with no time limit, and universal because he is the King of the entire universe. When Pilate told Jesus that he had the power to crucify him; or set him free, Jesus reminded him that he had no power over him, if God didn't give him in the first place. That made Pilate realize, that the power he now has, is given. Because it is given; it can be taken away. It is restricted within his jurisdiction; and his kingdom.
Eliminating a human life is always wrong. It is driven by hatred. Apart from God, no one has power over the life and death of others. The power we have is to protect life, promote peace and maintain justice, not to kill or destroy life. Claiming to have absolute power over others is a false claim. Jesus told his disciples that people can kill the body, but not the soul. Using your power with justice or exploitation of power is all one can do. To give consolation to his disciples, Jesus told them, when they are fearful; just remember that God is near. God takes care of all of God's creation. God takes care of us even more than caring for his creation. If we believe that a hair in our head has been counted; then we believe that God knows well our suffering and pain, and worries. We are united to God; so when we suffer, God suffered; when we feel pain and fear, God feels pain and fear. This intimate union is not forgotten, but it will be uncovered in God's kingdom. It is revealed in the saying,
'Anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven'. Mt 10.32
There is a difference in killing. People kill because of hatred or retribution. Out of love, God calls us to himself. The account of creation mentions God's garden. Each of us is a flower in God's garden. We take home flowers from the garden because we love them. God calls someone to himself; we believe God loves them like we like to have flowers at home. God has the full right to do with his own creation. When God calls a person out of this world; we understand that God makes a relocation, placing that person to where God wants that person to be. Every single new birth or reborn into eternal life is part of God's grand plan arrangement. When we view life in that way; it will lessen the fear of death, because in this life we try to follow God's way; but it will increase the fear of death for those who follow the way of the world.
We pray to trust in God's divine grace.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
