BASED ON CATHOLIC LITURGICAL READINGS
12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A
THEME: “PERSECUTION”
((Readings: 1st: Jer 20:10-13; Ps: 68; 2nd: Rom 5:12-15; Gos: Mt 10:26-33))
“Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Mt 5:11-12). Dear friends today being the 12th Sunday in ordinary time we celebrate Christ, our Lord, who is always present with us to deliver us from all that threatens and makes our life difficult. This includes false persecution, sins, and death. Our world is full of threats against the righteous and innocent. Today, hardly would a day passes without one hearing news of terror. This provokes fear, worries, and uncertainties. Siblings, close friends and neighbors have proved to be untrustworthy and unreliable in times of trouble. To whom shall we go?
Our first reading demonstrates how God miraculously delivered the prophet Jeremiah from the deadly plots of his persecutors and the hands of evil men. Jeremiah comes from a small village called Anatot. He was a young timid boy afraid of conflicts. However, God singles him out for a difficult and dangerous mission. He must go up to Jerusalem, to the political and religious leaders, and tell them that they are behaving like fools, and accuse them of deceiving and tricking people with false religion and pronounce judgment over them. “Poor Jeremiah!” The leaders caught him, imprisoned him, beat him up, and threw him into a muddy cistern. What hurts Jeremiah most, is that he sees his best friends among those persecuting him.
It pains most to know that your persecutor is even your close friends and relatives. “If it was my enemy, filled with pride and hatred, then I could have endured it. I would have just run away. But it was you my intimate friend- one like a brother to me.” (Ps 55:12-14). The scriptures are full of examples of people arrested and persecuted falsely but God delivered them miraculously. Please read [[Gen 37 Story of Joseph, Dan 3, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego, Dan 6, In the lion´s den, 2Mac 7 Persecution of the seven brothers, Act 16:16-40 Paul and Silas arrest and miraculous deliverance]].
When you are persecuted or wrongly accused, please remember the following three things:
- DO NOT BE AFRAID
Fear is one of the devil’s effective weapons against an innocent person. The devil cannot face you directly; therefore, he frustrates you in order to create fear in you. Once he manages to create fear in you, he holds you into captivity of fear and controls you like a TV is controlled by a remote. Jesus knows that fear is the worst possible enemy for those who want to live the Gospel values, the fear of violence, being killed, losing positions, possessions, and friends. If you are afraid then you are not free you are spiritually paralyzed.
Jesus is encouraging you today “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both the body and the soul in hell…” (Mt 10: 28). Everything that is now covered will be uncovered. The plans of the evil ones, your persecutors will be revealed and they shall fail. No enemy or evil force will be able to ruin God´s plan for you. “Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ.” (Rom 8:35-39)
- DO NOT FIGHT FOR YOURSELVES
God does not promise that nothing will happen to his disciples. However, he promises that He will save and protect his people if they are faithful to him. He himself will fight for you. “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast enemy. For the battle is not yours, but God´s. (2 Chron 20:15). “…so that the whole world may know that there is a God in Israel, and this whole assembly knows that Yahweh does not give victory by means of sword and spear-for Yahweh is the Lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our hands” (1 Sam 17:47). Dear friend, in times of persecution allow the Holy Spirit to defend you and the Lord to fight for you and save you.
- TRUST IN DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Divine providence is God´s intervention in the universe. On the subject of fear, Jesus continues to teach. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Lk 6:26-27) “Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, even the hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows”. (Mt 10:29-30) God is aware and has control over everything and he always intervenes in our situations for those who call Him with faith. May we have trust in Him?
In a nutshell dear friend, today we are being assured that the Lord is on our side, and He will surely never disappoint us. Although the persecutions in our life may appear overwhelming, they can certainly not be greater than what God has handled in the history of humanity. We are being invited to put our trust in him. This is a call also to be just and innocent in our ways and actions. May God be above you to bless you; Below you to support you; Before you to guide you; Behind you to protect you; Beside you to comfort you and inside you to give you strength and joy. Amen!
Prayer: In your great love, answer me, O God. Amen
Fr. Antony Muchui, SVD
Blessed Sunday (Do you want to become a Divine word missionary? Contact our vocation office +255 629269140 or +254 792 299 140)
“May the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all People. Amen”
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 