Sunday 25th June.
Homily by fr Raphael
There is a statement in the letter to the Hebrews that can help us to meditate on the readings we have today. The statement is about witnesses; the author says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and from there he shows us that we can overcome the burden of sin and focus on our duty saying “Let run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (He 12, 1-2). This can be a way to understand the call in the Gospel today that Jesus uses many times when he talks to his disciples, “ DO NOT FEAR”. We do not have to fear being witnesses. If they get there, why not us? As they are there, they can help us as they were helped.
These witnesses are people like us. Yes, they are heroes of faith like the prophet Jeremiah or other prophets, but they are the first human beings who accepted God’s call and grace. We call them prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, missionaries, priests, and other titles but first, they were men and women of their time; they were children of their parents and friends of their neighbors, husband, wives, brothers, sisters, people who had projects and dreams. Through their ordinary duties, God makes the extraordinary.
In the case of Jeremiah, God told him that his choice was made before he was formed in the womb of his mother. He appointed him to be prophet to the nations. This is true, God who calls us to life has a plan. However, whatever may be this plan he leaves us the freedom to embrace or to reject it. Jeremiah was born in a family of priests. As young, he may have been considering taking his fathers’ career, and among other things could have been planning to have a family, care for friends. Once he discovered himself in the mystery of his vocation, all the rest ceases to be attractive. Saints fix their eyes on the will of God and accept all situations and difficulties because God never abandons them. There are those moments when a person chosen feels the heaviness of what he is called to do, like Jeremiah in this first reading which sounds entirely like a prayer, even where he talks of conspiracy and abandonment by his friends. He starts by giving a report to God, maybe after a day of a long mission, turning back where he has a home or where he can rest. He tells God what is going on even though he knows that God knows. The goal he has in telling is not first to inform God about what happened but to transform all that happened, joy and pain into an offering.
Talking of Witnesses’ difficulties, a question arises: Why does God have to expose his chosen ones to such difficulties? Why did a man like Jeremiah have to face such a difficult time not only politically and militarily in the last years of independent Judah when the Babylonian empire was dangerously growing, but also on the social level, to many situations of injustice increasing? Why a young man like Jeremiah did have to face infidelity in the religious sphere: many idols had been introduced, and priests were involved in offering them sacrifices. The young Jeremiah had to face all this. Why did a simple man have to risk his life in such a terrible context? God could not solve everything using his power.
We have the same reasons for questions in the psalm. The psalmist is calling for help like Jeremiah. He has much pain: “For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face… the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.”, he says. The same question can be made about the apostles. In the Gospel Jesus is telling them not to fear those who can kill the body. Elsewhere he tells them openly: ” Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name..” (Mt 24,9). History told us that it was true. Why did all this have to happen? If God is powerful, why does he seem vulnerable and helpless? We have the answers. Starting with the prophet Jeremiah and the psalmist we have the expression of their trust in God. They conclude their prayers in praise; they know he is their strength in what he asks them to do. We can be sure Jeremiah was ready to endure everything for the one who chose and strengthen him.
And Jesus gives us a clear answer, which will be less spoken. It is by his choices, mainly his passion and resurrection. He shows us that the omnipotence of God has nothing to do with something arbitrary or magic, but rather it has much to do with love and freedom; this omnipotence includes a continuous dialogue between God and his creation. The direct answer that Jesus gives in the Gospel is “Do not fear!”. They will imprison and kill them, but He is the one who will strengthen them in their mission. Moreover, he will destroy death and the power of sin as we heard in the second reading. The same who says “Do not fear” says “Peace be with you” and these are not just wishes. They are the communication of his power.
We can hear the same call in our time today. Jesus tells us “Do not fear to conform your life to the values of the Gospel”. Or “Do not fear the questions and difficulties of your time”. He may be asking us to proclaim his name with our mouths, but the urgent call is to let his name change our life, not to fear his coming and dwelling. Not to fear letting Him take control of our lives or our projects. About this fear, allow me to quote Pope Benedict, I take his words in 2005: “Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom?” . . . The Pope gives the answer: “No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful, and great”. He calls us to accept his friendship saying: “Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation.”