FIRST READING (He has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked.)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (20:10-13)

Jeremiah said: “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’ But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (69:8-10, 14,17, 33-35)

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me. (Ps 69:14c)

For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my children, because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me. (R)

I pray to you, O Lord, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. Answer me, O Lord, for bounteous is your kindness; in your great mercy turn toward me. (R)

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the Lord hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not. Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and whatever moves in them!” (R)

SECOND READING (The gift is not like the transgression.)

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (5:12-15)

Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.

But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Jn 15:26b, 27a)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord; and you also will testify. (R)

GOSPEL (Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (10:26-33)

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.” —The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

“The Call to Courageous Confession”

The words of Jesus that we just heart in the Gospel have been described by some Scripture  scholars as “the call to courageous confession,” a call to a courageous public fidelity to our faith.

The words of Jesus remind us: “ Do NOT be afraid of those who may kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” (Gehenna being the Hebrew term for an ancient place of tremendous torture and suffering – and so here used to describe hell). Through this stark warning to his disciples, Jesus exhorts them not to fear any form of torture or persecution they might face in this life. They worry more about the judgement of God the Father which can cast both body and soul into Gehenna for all eternity for failing to be loyal to Christ.

Think of the history of our Church over two millennia. The early Church suffered many periods of extreme persecution – something that marked a good deal of her life in first few hundred years of her history. Those periods without persecution were more an exception. Then we look back to the first reading where the prophet Jeremiah writes of his own experiences of terror and conspiratorial whispering on every side – and such periods are also found in the history of the Church. Only a few hundred years ago we can look at the experience of St. Thomas More, put to death under King Henry VIII – in that romanticized period called “merry old England,” at a time England was filled with spies and conspirators, torture and death. Just whispering one word against the king in a pub or on the street could see you transported to the Tower of London or some other prison to face persecution, torture and often earth after a staged trial. And sadly, for us today in the 21st century, such persecution is still found in many parts of the world.

But there is also another kind of persecution occurring around us that may never hurt a hair on our head, but one that can destroy your soul. Who or what are these persecutions? 

We should be afraid of those who can destroy our fidelity in marriage, our trust in others. We should be afraid of those who can destroy our faith, our spiritual life and values. We should fear those who can destroy our commitment to truth and honesty.

We should be wary of those whom can destroy our sense of generosity, compassion and responsibility towards others, or who can destroy our dignity of sexuality and for all human life. 

We should fear and shun those who can destroy our values, our hopes, our discipleship of the Lord; or who can destroy our self-respect as children of God through addictions or pornography.

These modern-day persecutions will never bruise the body. They don’t use instruments of torture that leave scars. But they do use culture to attack us through films, sarcasm, denigrating humor, music, situation comedies, selective publicity of wrong-doing, the creation of cultural heroes and heroines who are steeped in vapid materialism and amoral behaviour; other destructions are found in advertisements, soap operas, jokes, fashion, novels – all means that eat away and erode what we should consider sacred and holy. These, brothers and sisters, are the modern persecutors we should fear not because they can harm our body, but because they can destroy our very soul.

In our 2nd reading taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, he adds a note of hope to this. He reminds us that through one man, sin entered the world. This is alike a spiritual corona virus spreading fear, suffering and death everywhere, corrupting everything it touches. Into such a world of sin, the grace of Jesus Christ comes – a grace more powerful than sin, and a gift given to each of us.

We are given the power to resist sin with the help of God’s grace. But that grace is not elusive – it is given to each of us through Baptism, and this grace is strengthened through every sacrament, every reception of the Eucharist.

Using nature imagery, we are reminded of God’s loving care – through the image of small sparrows, or hairs on our head – we can have courage because of God’s compassionate protection. And this is the grace and strength we receive at each and every Mass, where we receive the power we need for courageous confession in our life, because each of us is worth far more than sparrows!

But how can we display courageous confession? In times of great adversity, pubic displays of faith were devised such as processions (Corpus Christi or in honor of the Sacred Heart or Immaculate Heart – the feasts of the last few days). We have Christian social groups, one such, founded by a priest of my community, Father James Keller, had the slogan, “It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” During many large prayer assemblies he sponsored, he would ask that the lights of the hall or stadium be turned off, and then invite everyone to light a candle they each ha been given as they entered the space – something like our Easter Vigils. Soon with everyone lighting the candles in the darkness, the light blazes like day. Courageous confession comes simply and powerfully when you let your light be light. 

On this Fathers’ Day, I would like to encourage all fathers in our parish to be such light to their families. Don’t let any fear or sin destroy the light. Be ready to make a courageous confession for your spouse, your children, your grandchildren.

Be light even amidst challenges and difficulties: never disparaging a spouse, even when the marriage flounders; never discouraging or ridiculing your children when they need support, understanding and a compassionate hug; in the image and example of St. Joseph, being a strong compassionate man of faith protecting your family through such courageous confession. This is the CALL for all Christians; this is the CALL for all fathers. 

So, let your light of faith be a light that overcomes darkness. Elsewhere in this Letter to Romans, St. Paul admonishes us, always fight or overcome evil with good. “Vince in bonum malum” Let your light be light. Confess – witness your faith with courage. This is the call we all receive, and on this Fathers’ Day this is my prayer for each and every father. 

Prayers

Celebrant:  The Lord listens to the needy. He is always ready with help that never fails. We have only to ask – so let us seek the compassion of the One who cherishes even the smallest sparrow.

READER: For the Church which dispenses the abundant free gift of divine grace, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER:  For nations enslaved by sinful systems of oppression and terror, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For men and women who are tormented by fear and worry. (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For all fathers today, that God bless and strengthen them in the example of St. Joseph to care for, guide, protect and nourish their families, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For those who have lost loved ones in recent weeks, and for strength to those in our community weakened by sickness, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

CELEBRANT:  Father of all creation, we commit our cause to you, and praise you for caring for us in our need by giving us your own Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever,  (all) AMEN.