HOMILY: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 10:26-33
25 June 2023
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez
The gospel today is very meaningful to me. Its message hits me hard. As it says “… even the hairs on your head have all been counted.” (Matthew 10:30) I really feel it because if you notice my hairline it is exponentially receding. Please don’t stare at it too much later. You are only making me more insecure.😜 A friend even recommended a Hair Rescue and Thickening Serum and Shampoo! Imagine my relief when my barber recently observed that there were baby hairs growing where the hair was thinning on my head! It seems effective then. So when my friend asked me to give a video testimonial for Hair Reve, I willingly obliged. I’ve been too shy to watch myself on the video but the experience taught me something important. Who would have thought that I would be making public my greatest insecurity? And now by sharing my experience, those who are similarly-situated may find a solution to their problem as well.
We all have something we are ashamed of in life. Some may have small insecurities and deficiencies, while others may be embarrassed by their massive failures or shameful circumstances. More often than not, there is an element of sin in what we are most ashamed of. When we sin, we feel ashamed, right? No one comes to the confessional taking pride in having sinned. We can barely enumerate our transgressions to the priest. We can hardly say it out of shame. Other times, it is the sin of another that is the source of our shame. For instance, we don’t want to be called a child of a drunkard nor of a criminal. Even the culture of a society can be so saturated with social sin that many members of the community are forced to live in abject poverty. It’s not a sin to be born poor, but we don’t want to be poor for the rest of our lives, right? We work hard so that we can improve our lives and that of our families. In all these instances, God always finds a way to bless us and others. People who give very powerful testimonials of conversion are those who suffered much either by their own sinfulness or were victims of their circumstance. Their stories serve as an inspiration and source of strength for many.
Today’s readings bring us good news and a message of hope! There is a reason to let go of our fears and insecurities. St. Paul reminds us that although sin has entered the world through Adam, we find redemption and salvation in Jesus Christ in whom grace flows in abundance for humanity. In the gospel, Jesus tells us to “fear no one…..not even the ones who can kill the body.” When He said: “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted… You are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-30), Jesus is giving us an idea of how precious we are in God’s eyes! I read somewhere that the heads of blondes contain about 150,000 hair strands; brunettes, about 125,000; and redheads, 100,000! Let us think of it this way… If the Father knows the exact count of every singular strand of hair on our heads, how much more is He knowledgeable of our needs? No one is assigned to take care of wild birds but they live. The Creator takes care of them and does not abandon them. If God cares for every sparrow that lives, how much more is He concerned for each member of humankind, whom He considers His best creation? As impossible as it may seem, there is nothing we should doubt or worry about. Nothing is impossible for God.
The immensity of God’s love for us not only moves Him to provide for our needs and assuage our fears. He is also moved to protect us from harm. The First Reading narrates the plans of Jeremiah’s detractors to discredit him and threaten him. Instead of hiding in fear, the prophet puts his full trust in the Lord. God becomes Jeremiah’s mighty champion who will avenge him. He was confident that God would deliver him from the hands of all those who sought his downfall. “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” (Jeremiah 20:11) I hope we are the same. I am not saying that we ignore people who have done us harm especially if what they have done is a crime and against the law. What matters is that in our heart, we learn to forgive and to leave their fate in God’s hands. Evil will never prevail. There is nothing greater than the power of our Lord.
Brothers and sisters, today we are invited to recognise that we are valuable, irreplaceable, and loved by a loving Father. Despite our many shortcomings and insecurities, God loves us very much. He will not forsake us. There are even times when He will turn our weakness into strength. Never forget that when we are afraid, when we stumble and hesitate, God’s word assures that He is right there beside us gently reaching out His hand to help us up — “Do not be afraid.” So, hang in there! Don’t give up!
Sunday Gospel Reflections 