by Fr Francis Anthony
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 68:8-10,14,17,33-35
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33
Theme: Fear and Courage
As I said earlier, we have come into the second part of the year 2023. Our liturgical calendar for the year began in November, last Sunday of November of 2022.
And what was all our celebration in the first half of the year? With the Advent, waiting for Christ. With Christ, Christmas, the birth of Christ. Then we had the Sundays after Christmas and then we went into Passion Sunday, or rather the Lenten Season, preparing for the suffering of Christ where we are to be saved. We saw His passion, His death and resurrection. Then we had a few Sundays of Easter. Then we came to this great event of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Not just to strengthen the church. Strengthen each one of us. Then it was followed by a few Sundays of great rejoicing. We had the celebration of Body and Blood of Christ. Christ continuing to stay with us. We had the celebration of the Sacred Heart. It was not on a Sunday but it was on a Friday. And all the downward movement of God to strengthen us.
Now in the second part of our liturgical year and of the year 2023, we are going to walk with that strength of God for us. Yes, it is not all over. It is for us a moment to see what has God done for me so that I will be able to be His disciple. I would be able to live my faith like the twelve whom He was instructing.
Our journey of faith, in the realities of our life situation. Journey of faith is not inside the church. The journey of faith is where we are. And it is there I have to proclaim Christ through my words, through my attitude, through my relationship. That is the reality. And in this context, then Christ is saying to the twelve and he is saying to us today:
Do not be afraid.
Everything which is a puzzle now, He attacks. What is covered will be uncovered. You are not able to understand, myself included. Do not be afraid. Opening would be given for your understanding. Do not be afraid of hardships. Here it says “Those who killed the body, be afraid of Him who has come to me, and who is with me that I will be able to be His disciple.” And let me declare my faith in public in the way I live. And this is beautifully expressed in the Entrance Antiphon. We had the hymn. In the liturgical prayer it says:
The Lord is the strength of His people.
He is the strength. He is the one that is giving me the ability to follow. He has anointed me. Yes, if He has anointed me, He has made me to be close to Him.
And in the Opening Prayer, why did He give me the strength and so forth that will be always revere the love of Your Holy Name? That I in whatever situation always revere Your Holy Name, never deprive of Your guidance. You are there. I may be confused, I may be worried, I may be disheartened. Lord, you are with me.
Yes, and in this second half of the year, we are not going to have any big liturgical celebrations right up to Advent. Yes, we have Assumption, we have All Saints but they do not take over a season. It is going to be predominantly ‘Green’ Sundays. And let us ask God what is God telling me for this Sunday? Yes, it is not I heard some beautiful readings and all. What is God telling me? How am I to live my faith? How am I able to as the prayer says “To revere Him in the situation I am“?
Am I able to love Him? Facing the realities of hardship and disappointment? Yes, Christ did not promise us we would not have any problems. No. We all have our problems but He is there helping us to face these problems and to walk with Him.
Dear friends, in the Responsorial Psalm, in the second verse He says:
Lord, answer. Your love is kindness. In your compassion turn towards me.
So the answering is not You remove my problems. I might be stuck in those problems but You show me love, how to be kind in this realities of life. In Your compassion, help me to be compassionate with all those who are annoying me. Let me be compassionate like how You were compassionate and You saved me while I was a sinner. You died on the cross not after I have made a big retreat and changed over. You died on the cross to save me.
Continue to help me to reach out to others in the same way.
Click below to listen to homily and watch video:-
Click to live-stream Mass on 25 June 2023