Jesus said to the Twelve: "Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
Homily
“Do not be afraid…”
Our first two readings and responsorial psalm for the Mass this weekend describe situations of fear and anxiety: From Jeremiah we hear, “Terror on every side!” From the Psalm, “For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face.” From Romans, “Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death.” But then (Praise God!) the Gospel begins, “Fear no one…” and then reminds us twice, “Do not be afraid!”
This phrase, “Do not be afraid,” runs like a chorus throughout the Bible. Here are a few examples: To Abram, God said, “Do not be afraid, I am your shield.” To the prophets, “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” To Mary, the angel said, “Do not be afraid.” To the apostles, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” To Paul, the Lord said, “Do not be afraid.” To all his disciples, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, little flock.” Are you starting to see a pattern here?
Fear and anxiety
But I will be the first to admit that we have a lot to be fearful of in this very frightening 21st-Century world: fear of getting sick, fear of losing your job or your marriage, fear of not raising you children right, fear of terrorist attacks, fear of nuclear war, fear of global warming—the list could on and on. And if that weren’t enough, we also have to deal with anxiety, which is the fear of nothing in particular but of everything in general.
We often tell one another, “Don’t worry, it’s all going to be all right.” But that’s only slightly comforting, because we all know how easy it is to say these words when we’re not the ones suffering.
We belong to Jesus
Today’s Gospel offers us more substantial support. It doesn’t say, “Don’t be afraid, because it probably won’t happen.” Instead, it says, “Don’t be afraid, because even though calamity may befall you, it will not destroy you.”
The 14th-Century English mystic Julian of Norwich put it clearly: “Jesus did not say, ‘You will not be tempted, you will not be troubled, you will not be distressed.’ Instead, he he said, ‘You will not be overcome.’” How true that is!
When we place our complete hope and trust in God, nothing can overcome us. Why? Because we belong to Jesus, and he has overcome the world. His sacrificial death on the Cross proves this. His resurrection from the dead proves this. His ascension into heaven proves this. That’s why he tells us twice in today’s Gospel, “Do not be afraid.”
How to overcome fear and anxiety
The best way to overcome the paralyzing effects of fear and anxiety in your life is to form a deeper bond of friendship with Christ. Here are a few ways to do that:
1. Praying and meditating daily. For Jesus, constant prayer throughout the day was his lifeline to his heavenly Father; it has to be the same for us as well.
2. Offering daily penances for yourself and others. There is nothing that proves your loyalty to your Friend quite like your willingness to suffer with Him by your generous acts of self-denial.
3. Making full use of the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist and Confession. Receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament, visiting Jesus in the Tabernacle and going to Confession on a regular basis are great ways to strengthen your friendship with Jesus.
Remember, Jesus did not say, “Don’t be afraid, because it probably won’t happen.” Instead, he tells us, “Don’t be afraid, because even though calamity may befall you, it will not destroy you.” Why? Because our Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ, has conquered the world. Amen!