To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 20:10-13; Rom 5:12-15;Mt 10:26-33
During
his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of
the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a
public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the
audience. “You were one of Stalin’s colleagues. Why didn’t you stop him?” “Who
said that?” roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the
room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, “Now you know why.”
It is not always easy to stand up and be counted.
The
Gospel text of today deals with what it takes to stand up and be counted. It is
part of Matthew’s Mission Discourse in which Jesus, after commissioning his
disciples, gives them both instruction for and exhortation in Mission. Today’s
reading deals with exhortation. The words “Do not be afraid” appear three
times. ‘Do not be afraid to be open about faith, do not be afraid of powerful
opponents, and do not be afraid about what future holds in store. All three lay
in God’s hands.’ The message therefore is this: Confidence in God’s presence
and promise even in the midst of persecution. The message is: ‘Do not be afraid
to stand up and be counted because God is on the side of those who fight for
justice and the truth.’
It
is possible that fear might lead to the disciples remaining silent and not
communicating the message of Jesus, which is a message of the Kingdom. While
the disciples should expect persecution, they should not be paralyzed by fear.
They must continue to give bold witness to the message entrusted to them that
in Jesus and his words and works, the Kingdom of heaven has indeed come. The
disciples will be tempted to give up when things get difficult, but they are
called to persevere till the end with the witness that they must give. The
ideas expressed in this part of the Gospel are similar to the first reading
from Jeremiah.
After
castigating the leaders for not obeying God’s word and warning them that
therefore they would be conquered by Babylon, Jeremiah is scourged and put in
stocks by Passhur, the head of the temple police. The text of today, spoken
after his release, includes Jeremiah’s sixth lament, in which he begins by
railing at God for “enticing” him into proclaiming God’s message and then
allowing him to be mocked and shamed. Though he is tempted to give up his
vocation of being a prophet (and so speaking God’s word on behalf of God) because
he is aware that people are plotting against him, he perseveres. This
perseverance results from his confidence in the fact that God will come to his
aid and deliver him from his enemies.
These
enemies cannot do real harm, because though physical death is indeed a
possibility for a disciple of Jesus, it will only be a transition, says Jesus.
God’s power is much more than even death. All that happens to the disciple is
known by God. As surely as God knows the comings and goings of even the
littlest bird, so he knows everything that happens to the disciple. He is
always the one who is in charge. He is “father” to the disciples and so the
disciples are related to Jesus as brothers and sisters. This relationship
between the Father, Jesus and the disciples must lead to witnessing to Jesus
and all that he stands for including justice and truth and to hope for the
future.
The
best example of this confidence according to the reading from Romans is Jesus
himself. He was obedient unlike Adam; he remained sinless and faithful unlike
Adam and thus made grace reign freely where there would have been universal
condemnation. He dared to stand up and be counted. He was unafraid even in the
face of ignominy, persecution and death. Thus through his life, mission, death
and resurrection Jesus has given his disciples the example they must follow,
the path they must take and the way they must walk.
To
walk this way continues to be difficult especially today when fears of all
kinds continue to dominate our lives and take control of us, not allowing us to
be the kind of persons we are meant to be. There are numerous people who will
try their best to stifle the message of justice and peace; simply because it is
beneficial to them do so. There are many who will try to shut down the voices
of those who protest against discrimination and violence.
By
looking to Jesus we see that the trials and sufferings of this life, especially
what we face as we try to live out and share our faith, are short-lived. We
should, therefore, not give in to fear; knowing that in the end truth will
triumph over untruth, justice over injustice, and eternal life over death, as
we are able to see already in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
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