Cycle A - Year 1:  

25 June 2017:  Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Gospel:Please Read  Matthew 10:26-33

Courage under persecution!

 We are back to the liturgical season called Ordinary Time, after a series of solemnities, or special feasts, following the observance of the Easter season. Today is the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

A brief refresher on the liturgical season:

In the liturgical calendar, Ordinary Time is a specific season in the Church which focuses on the life of Christ during His three years of public ministry. There is no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ that is celebrated. Instead, the focus is on the mystery of Christ in all fullness or totality. Ordinary Time is a year cycle of 33 or 34 weeks.

Green is the color assigned for this season, which is most associated with growth. Thus, Ordinary Time is viewed as a time of growing in our knowledge and love of Jesus, our Lord.

The evangelist for this Sunday is St. Matthew. The selected reading is part of the instructions of Jesus to His disciples after He has commissioned them to proclaim the approaching kingdom of heaven.

Jesus insists that disciples --and the hope of eternal life for those who persevere-- would

admittedly be dangerous, but that this danger must be faced and borne courageously by those who want to follow our Lord.

What strikes most in these instructions of our Lord to His disciples are two warnings: (a) the frequency with which Jesus refers to the persecutions and sufferings which the disciples will have to bear; and (b) the insistence repeated three times to the disciples  not to be afraid.

In other words, the disciples should know that, because of the fact of being disciples of Jesus, they will be persecuted, But this should not be a reason for worrying, because a disciple should in fact imitate the life of the Master and share the trials with Him. This is really part of discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ, as He Himself was persecuted and died for us.

In sum, the Gospel reading offers 3 significant messages for our reflection, namely:

First, feat of rejection or persecution cannot prevent us from proclaiming the Gospel ad its most challenging demands on our Christian living.

Second, we trust in Jesus' promise that we will never be alone in our efforts to do what is right. He has sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always.

And finally, the final judgment before God will be based on our faithfulness to Jesus during the controversies and challenges  that are part of our mission in proclaiming God's kingdom here on earth.

At the end of the Gospel Jesus summarizes everything: "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. (Mt. 10:32-33)

Thus, knowing that we are in God's hands and that God is with us, at every moment of our earthly journey, we have the courage and the peace to render witness and to be disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!