HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: FEAR NOT, GOD VALUES YOU.
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
HOMILY FOR SATURDAY JULY 9 2022
‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.’
In the Gospel of today (Matthew 10:24-33), Jesus gives some pieces of advice to His followers. In the world, our worth is often calculated by what we own, what we do, and even how many people that like us. But in God’s kingdom our worth is already defined, and it is unchanging. God sees us all as valuable. As His children, we are loved, known, accepted, and worthy. And that doesn’t change if people accept us or not; we are still worth the same to God. Also, God cares more about what we give away than what we own. He calls us to be generous and sacrificial, whether that’s with our possessions, money, time, or gifts.
One of the most famous Bible passages about our worth is today’s Gospel. It says: ‘Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father’s knowing it. God even knows how many hairs are on your head. So don’t be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows’ (vv.29-31). Isn’t that an amazing thought? God knows us so well that He even knows how many hairs are on our heads. He knows all about His creation, and that includes us. He sees us all as individuals. He understands us better than we understand ourselves.
When Jesus was saying these words, He was sending out the disciples to tell others about Him. We can find the idea of evangelising scary, but when we understand our identity, worth, and how much we are loved, we are more confident to go and share our faith, knowing that God’s with us every step of the way. This knowledge dispels fear.
When we see people who appear confident, have everything together, and don’t seem to be shaken by whatever life throws at them, we might assume that they never feel fear. But the truth is that despite outward appearances, nobody is immune to fear. The first person God created was Adam, and the first recorded words Adam spoke were these: ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself’ (Genesis 3:10 ).
Fear is part of human nature. When we are faced with a genuine danger, it can be a useful warning signal that we need to be ready to react. But it can also be a destructive force in our lives. One of the old English words for fear means ‘sudden attack’, and it is related to an old German word that means ‘ambush or snare’. And that is what fear does; it attacks us and takes us captive. But God doesn’t want us to be held prisoner by fear; He wants us to be set free by faith in Him. Fear weakens, but faith strengthens. Fear paralyses, but faith empowers. Fear disheartens, but faith encourages. God says to us, ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine’ (Isaiah 43:1). Studies have discovered that some of our biggest areas of fear include finances, health, career, relationships, achieving goals, and death. God is with us and He promises to strengthen and guide us in every situation we face. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God bless you and your household always through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning.
Fr. Karabari Paul