Mt. 10:26-33
The Spirit goes ahead of us when we witness— preparing the way, giving us the words, and granting us courage. (Billy Graham)
In today’s gospel, we see Jesus empowering his disciples through his words. Jesus never promised a rose bed for his disciples. He was quite sure that if the world hated him, then his disciples would have to face opposition in this world. Anyhow, Jesus has assured us of his ever-abiding presence with us. And he will never abandon us. Jesus tells his disciples to proclaim the gospel without reservation or fear. He says, “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.” (Mt. 10:27) Jesus has not given us any excuses to abstain from proclaiming the gospel without reservation or fear. The words of Jesus underline it: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt. 10:28) It depicts the fact that Abba is our sole Creator. Our eternity is in his hands. Even if we have to encounter death in our attempt to remain a faithful witness of Christ, we need not be worried because these people may be able to induce physical damage to our body, but they can’t harm the human soul. It doesn’t mean that the human body is not important; the human person is the embodiment of both body and soul. God created us that way, and he will take care of our existence in eternal life.
Jesus assured Abba’s providential care by quoting the example of sparrows and our hair. He teaches us that not even a single sparrow perishes without the Lord’s knowledge. His providence cares for not only human beings but all living beings. Even the hair of a person is counted, which shows how precious each one of us is before the Lord. Therefore, we need not worry about our lives; the Lord, who is our Creator, Provider, and Sustainer, will take care of us. In the first reading taken from the prophet Jeremiah, we see that the prophet Jeremiah is surrounded by his enemies, but he remains fearless. Jeremiah is not relying on his own strength; he has absolute trust in Yahweh, who remains by his side as a dread warrior. He will deliver his faithful from the hands of evildoers.
As we reflect on this gospel passage today, let us prayerfully remember our fellow brethren in Manipur who encounter the perils of being a witness of Christ. May they be strengthened in their faith and rooted in the conviction that Jesus is in control of every situation in our lives. May the legacy of all those who have gone before us inspire us to remain faithful witnesses of Christ.