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Homily for Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (Jer 20: 10-13; Rom 5: 12-15; Matt 10: 26-33)

REFLECT: In God is our safety and security…

Dear friends, today we are in the twelfth Sunday in ordinary time. The liturgy of the word invites us to place our safety and security in God. There are many scriptural verses that spell out about our safety and security in God. God makes sure that we are safe and secure from all harms and dangers, evil and devil. In the book of Proverb we read, “Then you can go your way safely and your foot will not stumble. You will have no fear when you lie down and your sleep will be peaceful. You will not fear sudden terror or the attack of evildoers. For Yahweh is at your side and he guards your steps from the snare,” (Prov 3: 23-26). Yes, such is the promise of God for our safety and security, provided we trust and believe in his promise and presence, grace and gifts.

We all of us have desire for security, desire to be free from danger or any sorts of threat that we face in our lives. Perhaps we all wish to have peace of mind in life, secure our kith and kin, health and wealth, positions and professions, relationships and resources. Most of us think and run crazily that the worldly riches and pleasures could give us safety and security. But we forget that we ruin our lives at the cost of overworking and overburdening, spend lives largely in the pursuit of worldly pleasures. But our experience teaches us that worldly pleasures too will pass away except the pursuit of heavenly riches that we work for and gather. Therefore, we need to rely on God’s safety and security. To rely on our safety and security in the Lord is to believe without any suspicion and doubt that God will provide all our needs, defend us from every evil and misfortune, and safeguard our relationship with Him forever. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection that will enable us to rely on the safety and security of God;

1.     Presence of God:

We have heard this sentence several times, “God is Omni-present or present everywhere.” Yes, God is present everywhere to the one who believes and trusts. For all of us, the experience of the presence of God in life is most important. The moment we realize that God is with us, we obtain power to face any oppositions and evil powers around us. The presence of God in us gives us a push to move on life positively and progressively.

Yes, that’s something similar we hear in the first reading from Prophet Jeremiah, how his adversaries are denouncing him, waiting for his downfall and to take revenge on him. But the expression of safety and security of Prophet Jeremiah is seen when he says, “But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior, therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome, they will be put to shame and they will not succeed.” The words of Prophet Jeremiah that ‘the Lord is with me as a dread warrior’ reminds of us, how strong and might Yahweh is. Prophet Jeremiah firmly believes that God would stand by him, protect him from his adversaries and grant safety and security. We also know how Yahweh stood by the people of Israel, fighting on their behalf in the hour of their affliction and pain in the exodus journey. Such is the strength and might of God.

Today all of us fail to experience the presence of God in our lives. We think of God only in moments of pain and suffering, but what about in times of happiness and joy. The moment we realize that God is with us and he is there ever ready to watch over us and take care of every need, we would perhaps experience God’s miracle in our lives. Pope Francis, in his Angelus address on 27th Nov 2022 very aptly said, “Let us bear this in mind: God is hidden in our life; he is always there he is concealed in the commonest and most ordinary situations in our life. God does not come in extraordinary events, but in everyday things. He is there, in our daily work, in a chance encounter, in the face of someone in need; even when we face days that seem gray and monotonous, it is right there that we find the Lord, who calls to us, speaks to us and inspires our actions.” Yes, God is everywhere but we don’t realize it. God is approachable and available but it is we who don’t approach God and avail is everlasting presence. So let us realize God’s presence and seek to him for help and support in our lives.

2.     Grace of God:

God’s grace is an unmerited favor. It cannot be bought or sold like a commodity or goods. It is given freely by God in his unconditional love and goodness for us. The grace of God becomes a track for all of us to walk in newness of life in Christ and with one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord. The second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans presents to us the how sin entered the universe through Adam and how grace enveloped the world through Jesus Christ, overcoming the power of sin and evil. Yes, the fullness of grace for the entire humanity was revealed and showered from above through Jesus, the Son of God. Perhaps one man’s sin made many to fall into the pit of darkness but through the grace of God in Jesus many have been brought to the light. Therefore, it is not our merit but the merit of God that we have received fullness of life and newness of life.

Pope Francis speaking on God’s grace sounds us in the following manner: “God’s grace is not something we deserve, but he gives it to us anyway. God’s action is more than just, in the sense that it goes beyond justice and manifests itself in grace. Everything is grace. Our salvation is grace. Our holiness is grace. By giving us grace, he gives us more than we deserve. God always pays the maximum.”

Yes, God’s grace and his graciousness know no limits. He does not give us minimum rather maximum for his children. But what makes all of to fall prey to the temptations of life is our failure to accept and understand God’s offer of grace in our lives. If only we realize how great God’s grace is, we would understand boundless love that God shows us in various ways. Most of us are not in a position to obtain God’s grace, because we are immersed in sin and sinful acts. Sin becomes a block to obtain God’s grace and favor. The more we come closer to God, leaving aside our aspirations and inclinations to sin; we shall be abounding in God’s grace. So let us realize the grace of God made known to us in Jesus and reflect the grace of God in our lives in all that we do or say.

3. Fear of God:

During the general audience, while speaking on the Holy Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord, Pope Francis clearly points out, “Fear of the Lord does not mean we should be afraid of God, but rather serves as a reminder to do the right thing. We know that God is our Father that always loves and forgives us. It is no servile fear, but rather a joyful awareness of God’s grandeur and a grateful realization that only in him do our hearts find true peace, when the Holy Spirit lives in our heart, he instills consolation and peace in us.”

Yes, fear of the Lord is not that we are afraid of God rather an awareness that God is everything and show reverence and we pay homage to God, who loves us lavishly and lastingly. The Gospel reading of the day invites us to fear God rather than the world. Fear of the world brings us confusion and suspicion about life, worries and tensions that make life upside down; we feel moreover that everything is come to an end. But the fear of God gives us a feel that nothing can overpower or overcome us, because God takes control of everything, giving us freedom and protection from all the dangers and dungeon of darkness.

In the Gospel reading Jesus exhorts the disciples not to fear opposition or anything of that sort while engaged in the proclamation of God’s word. There are three phrases wherein the word ‘fear’ is used; Do not fear because whatever is hidden will be made known;  not to fear those who kill only body but fear God who has power to destroy body and soul; fear not you are of more value than many sparrows. Yes, the fear of God is balanced by trust in God as the disciple’s heavenly Father. We need to understand that the God who can destroy in hell is also the God who cares for the smallest bird. So within his fatherly care, there is nothing to fear about from human hostility and nothing can harm us from the reach of humanity.

It manifests that God is the controller of everything that happens in life. No one can change the plan that God has designed for each one of us except God himself. We are to play our role as God has given and directed. Therefore, hundred percent assurance from God is given to us about our security and safety, provided we acknowledge the work of Father. What adds more to God’s assurance of our safety is that even the hairs of our head are numbered and are valued more than many sparrows. We know how tiny a bird sparrow is, If God could watch over sparrows, surely He will watch over us His children, the hairs of whose heads are numbered. Such is the care and concern of God for us. Thus we need to rely on the sovereignty and providence of God than the reign of humanity, which is only temporary and transitory. Today, we are called to make a radical choice between the two, whether we would fear God’s power or human power. The choice we make would prove our loyalty to God or human persons accordingly. Let us pray that we fear God, for God controls everything in the universe, assures our safety and security in him.

RESPOND:

Do I realize the presence of God, who accompanies us always though the thick and thin of life?

Do we realize the grace of manifested to us in and through Jesus Christ for free of cost?

Do we fear God who has control of everything or who know minute details of our lives?

Let us realize the presence of God, value the grace of God working in us and fear God, who assures of our safety and security in Him. Amen.

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968