Matthew 10:26-33

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 on 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.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

One virtue all the saints possessed in common was courage, specifically courage in keeping the faith in the face of opposition, even in the face of martyrdom. Today’s first reading and Gospel speak of the courage to keep the faith. Jeremiah was a prophet who was not well loved by the people, especially by the authorities. His prophecies were those of doom and gloom against Israel and her leaders because of their infidelities to God and His law. Tradition holds that Jeremiah was eventually killed by his enemies. Even still, during his life he spoke the word the Lord gave him to speak, trusting in God’s protection and care. In the end, while his enemies prevailed over him in this temporal order, Jeremiah’s prophecies were fulfilled, leading to his enemies’ downfall and, certainly, to Jeremiah’s glory in the kingdom. In today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to “fear no one,” to not fear those who can kill the body but not the soul. He promises that the Father cares for every sparrow that falls to the earth, and that we are worth so much more than a sparrow. “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” That is the key. We must never fear to acknowledge Jesus in every place and under every circumstances. There will be those who will oppose us holding true to our faith, if not directly than indirectly, in opposing our living the faith, at home, at work, in the legislature, at the grocery store, wherever. We’ve all read of stories in the news of Christian employees who have risked their jobs, or even been fired, because they refuse to renounce their faith in God’s revelation in the face of company policy. But it doesn’t only apply at work. Among friends, or even at family gatherings or among our own confreres in our Catholic faith, we may be challenged to compromise the faith for the sake of convenience or for the sake of a particular social or political cause. What’s the big deal about throwing a little incense on the altar if it means keeping people happy? Can’t we all get along? We must stand firm, like Jeremiah and like Jesus. Even though the ultimate end for both in this temporal realm was death, we know by faith that Jeremiah stands among the saints in glory, and that Jesus sits at the right hand of God. This is our destiny, as well, if we stand strong in the face of opposition to the faith.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.