Pastor's Letter 20230625 - 25 June 2023 - Witness in Spite of Fear

Father Michael · June 25, 2023

June 25^th, 2023

12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

A Message from Father ^†Michael

Today’s Theme: “Witness in Spite of Fear”

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

(Jeremiah 20:10-13) Jeremiah remained faithful to his difficult task as prophet because of the knowledge that God was with him.

Jeremiah witnessed the demise of Judah and the subsequent deportation of his people to Babylon (ca. 627 B.C.) A reluctant prophet, he provided Judaism with a lively illustration of God’s care.

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(Romans 5:12-15) ^†Paul draws a contrast between Christ and Adam: Sin came into the world through Adam; abundant grace came through Jesus Christ.

^†Paul understood Baptism as the first step in a lifelong process of becoming like Christ. But, as any baptized Christian can attest, the sacrament does not automatically make us immune to sin. Our salvation is worked out gradually in relation with the Lord, with each day drawing us closer to fulfillment.

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(Matthew 10:26-33) Christ exhorted His disciples to open and fearless witness to the Gospel, assuring them of God’s special care in all their trials.

Three points are made in today’s Gospel: a) discipleship is a bond that supersedes all others; b) discipleship will lead, inevitably to the cross; and c) discipleship has its rewards. All three concern “attitude:” that of disciples, themselves; and of others, toward disciples. Choosing to follow Jesus in love and service often creates factions between believers and non-believers, even between family members. The ties that bind believers to the Lord are more precious than any other.

Fear

It is normal and natural that courage will sometimes fail us and that we will be afraid. All those who have accomplished great things have known fear at one time or another But fear is not such a bad thing….

Sometimes fear has a protective function, warning us of the presence of danger. In that case, fear is a grace. But fear can also be a handicap…paralyzing us, and turning us into a coward.

Jesus knew His disciples would be afraid. He understood their fears and too them seriously. When He told them: “Be not afraid,” He was addressing their fears and trying to relieve them. He wanted to give them courage, to move them beyond fear, knowing fully that fear could make them so timid they would not be able to fulfill their mission.

Without courage, we can’t practice any other virtue with constancy. Faith is a great source of courage, in that we believe that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God will give us strength to prudently choose among the many alternatives we are given.

Freedom from fear is the greatest freedom we can possess. We must overcome fear to live a dignified life. Since fear and courage are not mutually exclusive, and do “coexist,” we must embrace fear, knowing we can overcome it, and carry on in spite of it.

Witnessing in Spite of Fear

Jesus called for witnesses—people who are not afraid to be seen as His followers, in the midst of a skeptical and sometimes, hostile, world. Fortunately, there are people who are courageous enough to provide that witness. We know them, for the most part, from accounts of their work, and sometimes, we have seen it, firsthand.

Venerable Archbishop ^†Fulton J. Sheen, a mid-century televangelist and author, devoted his life to presenting the Gospel to millions. His concise, thoughtful presentation of Biblical principles through “chalk-talks” are quite memorable, from my youth. Our family would gather, regularly, to view the programs. Later, I acquired a selection of them on DVD, and watch them often.

Billy Graham was another stirring example of fearless witness. His career spanned more than six decades of Biblical crusades, from 1947 to his death in 2005. Pioneering the “altar call,” many came to profess their faith in our Blessed Lord, Jesus.

Others, sadly, were victims during their ministry, paying the ultimate price. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not only was a passionate evangelist, but an outspoken crusader for minority rights. His political positions made him front-page news, and ultimately, led to his assassination.

^†Oscar Romero was conservative archbishop of San Salvador, who was also involved in the civil rights movement in his country. According to him, courage was not required, but only an understanding that his enemies dealt in fear, and he was not afraid of them. He said, “At the first sign of danger, the shepherd cannot run and leave the sheep to fend for themselves. I will stay with my people.” His outspoken positions eventually led to his murder, (1980,) while saying Mass.

Many other stories of priests and preachers who dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel and taking stands against social ills can be found in history.

Even though we may not aspire to such heights of heroism, people like these are an inspiration to us. The words of Christ surely apply to them: “If anyone declares himself or me before men, I will declare Myself for him before My Father in heaven.” Every place needs Christian witnesses. It’s not enough to be secret disciples, we must give public voice to our faith. While in some countries, such behavior may mean putting one’s life in danger, most of us will never face such a fate.

Wherever Christian values are being eroded, witness may be even more difficult. While there may not be hatred, hostility or opposition, something even more sinister may exist—deadly indifference. In such cases, a special courage is required. We must overcome our fear of what people might think of us, say about us or what it may “cost” in terms of our egos.

Christ didn’t mean we should never “be afraid,” as He knew such is human nature, and even prudent, in some situations. Rather, the issue was that fear might paralyze us, or make us so timid we are unable to fulfill His mission. He meant to encourage us so we might be able to move “beyond fear.”

This can occur if we have trust in our God-given, specific talents and abilities, with which we can choose to spread the Word. With the help of the Holy Spirit, working within us, we can summon the fortitude to be effective disciples by our everyday thoughts, words and deeds. It simply must become part of who we profess to be….

May God Richly Bless You!