12 Sunday Ordinary Time, year A
Fear is a natural part of human life, but it can become harmful when it holds us back from loving God, loving others, and following Christ more fully. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that God is a loving Father who knows us intimately, cares for us deeply, and sees even the smallest details of our lives. Because we are held in the Father’s love, we can bring our fears to him with trust and hear again the words of Jesus: do not be afraid.
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So, who do you think will win the World Cup? It is dangerous to ask that question, so I am not going to get into that debate here. But hopefully you have been able to see some footage on television, or perhaps you have been able to go downtown and experience the atmosphere. I was walking downtown the other day, and it was really charged and exciting. Yes, perhaps we can look at it and say that it is a bit commercial, but there is something special there too: the world coming together, a sense of unity.
When I was there and saw everyone gathered together, what struck me was the emotion. There was so much emotion on display at the World Cup: joy, hope, and even fear, perhaps fear that the team you support will not do as well as you hope. Emotions are part of what makes us human. They are central to who we are. But there is one particular emotion that I think we struggle with, and it is an emotion displayed in the Gospel today, an emotion Jesus speaks about: fear.
We can be afraid of many things, some important and some not so important. But all of us have fears. In the first reading today, we hear about the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah had a very difficult mission. He is often called the weeping prophet. He was alive in Jerusalem just before Babylon came to destroy the city. He tried again and again to warn the people, but they would not listen. Instead, they listened to false prophets. They imprisoned Jeremiah and turned against him. In the first reading, Jeremiah is afraid, not only for his own safety, but also for what might happen to his beloved people. He experiences the emotion of fear very profoundly.
In the responsorial psalm today, we also hear one of those psalms that speaks about a righteous person suffering unjustly, someone rejected and scorned. This person also experiences fear.
In our own lives, we can experience fear about many things. We can be afraid of a health struggle, either our own or that of someone we care about. We can be afraid of losing our jobs, or afraid that we will not find work. We can be afraid that certain relationships will not work out in the way we hope. And yes, we can even be afraid that our favourite team will not win the World Cup.
Fear is a very human and natural emotion. Do you think Jesus was ever afraid? Did he experience fear? I think when we look at the Gospels, we can see that he did. Jesus was truly human. In the Incarnation, we believe that Jesus is like us in all things but sin. Before he died, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. There, he experienced fear, worry, and difficulty. Yes, he surrendered everything to his Father, but he truly experienced these emotions that we also experience.
Fear is a normal and natural part of being human. At times, fear can even help us. Some of you may have seen footage of the free climber Alex Honnold. A few years ago, he free soloed El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. That means he climbed this enormous rock face with no ropes. Did any of you see that? I did not, because I am terrified of heights. I cannot watch that. Recently, he did something similar on a skyscraper. Again, I could not watch it.
For him, he is able to face his fear in an extraordinary way. But I am terrified of heights. If I am on a high building, I cannot really look over a ledge if it is too low. That fear, of course, is meant to protect us in some way. It helps us avoid things that might harm us. Fear can guard us from danger and difficulty. In that sense, fear can be helpful.
The problem comes when our fears get away from us, when they prevent us from doing good things in our lives, and ultimately when they prevent us from loving God and neighbour more fully. In the Gospel today, Jesus addresses this kind of fear and gives us a beautiful truth, a hopeful message, about how we can keep our fears in check.
Jesus proclaims that we have a God who is a Father, a God who is not distant from us, but who cares for us intimately. Jesus uses the image of sparrows. Sparrows were so plentiful and could be purchased for a small amount. They may not have seemed very valuable to people, but Jesus says that even these sparrows are watched over and cared for by God. How much more, then, does God care for each one of us?
Everything we do is under God’s notice. God is always caring for us. For this reason, we should not be afraid. God is a Father who loves us.
This weekend, as we celebrate Father’s Day, we can consider how the love of our own fathers, grandfathers, and father figures can reflect the love of God, a love that cares for us and protects us. God is a loving Father who knows all that is happening in our lives. For this reason, we should not be afraid.
Jesus also shows us in the Gospel that some of the things we fear, some of the things that might harm us, will not be able to harm us forever. God, in his plan, may allow certain things to continue for a time, but Jesus says that eventually they will come to an end. God is a righteous judge. All that is hidden will be revealed. Evil will not be allowed to continue indefinitely. God is loving, and God has a plan for us.
Fear has a place in our lives, but we should be careful that it does not overcome us or prevent us from living the life of joy, goodness, and discipleship that Christ calls us to live.
At this Mass, let us reflect in our hearts: what causes me fear? What holds me back from following Jesus fully? Is there some area in my life where fear can paralyze me? At this Mass, let us bring these fears to the Lord. As we do so, let us remember that God truly is a loving Father. God is always there, caring for us. Let us recommit ourselves to the hope that God is always there to help us. For this reason, we should not be afraid.
