Welcoming the Holy
Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.
By: Sister Kathy Weider
“Do not be afraid.”
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, please open our hearts and minds so that we may understand Your Word and practice it with our whole being. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Gospel
Matthew 10:26-32
Jesus said to the Twelve: “Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim to the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Reflection
In the first reading today, the prophet Jeremiah is in serious trouble. All around him people are grumbling about him, including many of his friends. Their criticism is loud and clear – and they go so far as to threaten his very life! Following God’s way is not an easy road.
But the Gospel from Matthew gives us great reason to hope. It begins with Jesus telling the twelve Apostles, “Fear no one.” In the span of just a few short verses, Jesus says two more times, “Do not be afraid!” The fact is that this admonition of Jesus, to not be afraid, is the most repeated message throughout the Gospels.
Most of us live with a great many fears during the course of our lives – fear of animals, fear of bugs, fear of abandonment, fear of the unknown, fear of illness, fear of not succeeding, and perhaps the greatest fear is that of not being loved.
In a refection by Heidi Busse in “Give Us This Day,” she notes that the renowned psychologist Elisabeth Kublar-Ross taught that there are only two primary emotions: love and fear. The gospel of Jesus is all about love! God IS Love! The two primary Christian commandments are: to love God with our whole being; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The parables Jesus told, and the stories about how Jesus lived detail what true love entails, and the cost love sometimes exacts. That is why Jesus so often reminds his disciples not to be afraid! Love and fear cannot exist at the same time. We are meant to choose love – then trust that God’s love and grace will be enough for us.
I turned 75 in March, and I have faced many challenges in my life. No matter how difficult the situation is, or how powerful my fears are, God has NEVER let me down. When it comes right down to it, to whom else can we turn? For those who love and trust God, life may still not be easy, but if there is one thing I absolutely believe, it is that God’s grace is ALWAYS enough for us!
For Your Personal Reflection
Think of a situation in your life at this time about which you are fearful. Turn to God and try to surrender your burden, and your fear, trusting in God’s unconditional love and grace for you. Remember, you are God’s beloved child!
Closing Prayer
Loving God, help us to remember Your frequent admonition to Your own disciples, “Do not be afraid. I am with you.” May that give us courage to trust you in all matters and put our focus on Your love and let go of all fear. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
