Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Jer 20.10-13;
Ps 68;
Rom 5.12-15;
Mt 10.26-33
Do not be afraid. The fear of the Lord guides us into the realm of wisdom.
The presence of God should inspire awe, wonder, and a profound sense of reverence. Here, 'fear' does not refer to shock, horror, or terror, but to the deep respect one feels in the presence of a being that transcends our senses and the material universe—a recognition of the divine beyond external appearances. This reverence should motivate us to act according to God's will. To fear the Lord means to obey Him, which in turn grants us the wisdom of the heart and enlightens our minds.
Consider the fears prevalent in today’s world. We face significant threats: tyranny, deception, violence, and unrest that continuously threaten societal stability. The magnitude of twentieth-century warfare—resulting in more casualties than all previous history—underscores this danger. The increasing number of martyrs and persistent genocides reflect ongoing human cruelty. On a broader scale, human nature appears increasingly aggressive. What about within families or individual lives? Issues such as kidnapping, political instability, and social and economic tensions remain unresolved.
In the Gospel for today’s Mass, our Lord discusses the reality of hell. He warns against fearing those who can only harm the body, but instead advocates reverence for the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Jesus refers to Satan, the master of sin, as the figure to fear. In contemporary times, belief in hell has waned, and hellfire sermons—once a means to promote moral behavior through fear—have largely disappeared. Nonetheless, Jesus clearly warns us to avoid Satan and the path to hell. His words imply that it is easy to stray onto the road of perdition; a small deviation can lead us away from the path to salvation.
The question arises: why did God not prevent the first man from sinning? The Catechism provides an answer: “Christ’s inexpressible grace gave us blessings greater than those lost through the envy of the demon." Saint Leo the Great asserts that divine grace bestows blessings surpassing the loss caused by sin. Likewise, Saint Thomas Aquinas states that human nature can be raised to higher states even after sin, for God permits evil to bring forth a greater good. Saint Paul affirms this, saying, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more," and the Exsultet proclaims, "O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer.”
In divine love, God granted Adam and Eve free will, which they misused. Despite humanity's fall, God’s infinite love for every soul led Him to implement an alternative plan for salvation. Nothing can occur outside God's awareness; every life, even every hair on your head, is known by Him. There is no need for fear, for you are of great worth in His eyes—even more valuable than hundreds of sparrows. Trust in the Lord for tomorrow will take care of itself so why worry about what you are not certain of? God cares for us amid chaos and suffering; He will defend us under attack, just as Jeremiah trusted in Him. Above all, He sent His Son to save us from sin and to guide us from the path of hell to the path of heaven. We must choose whether to follow the downward course of human fallenness or to allow God, through Christ Jesus, to elevate us. May the Lord grant wisdom to those who fear Him.
Comments
Post a Comment