‘So do not be fearful. You are worth more than a lot of sparrows.” (Mt 10:31)
Fear! Everyone has fears of some kind. One research listed 38 fears from which a person can have. In the past four months, the world has experienced the fear of the pandemic. ...and a fear of racism of our black brothers and sisters. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that He is in control. He shows us the proper place of fear. In this Gospel, Jesus mentions at least three times not to fear .He knows our inner being and encourages us not to be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But to fear the one that can kill both body and soul.
In the past few weeks we have been seen and heard protests of police brutality across the nations and even the world, mostly peaceful -- that beg for peace and justice not only for the Black community, but for all people who have not been justly treated. The protests were directed at police brutality after the unjust killing of a black man, George Floyd.
To help us understand what fear is and does, I invite you to listen to Richard Rohr on fear: https://cac.org/richard-rohr/homilies.
What do you fear? Who do you fear? As Scripture reminds us...we are not to fear those who can destroy only the body, but the one who can destroy both body and soul.
Sr Celeste Hupert, CSFN
