Best Catholic Reflections July 13, 2024

By CL

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Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection July 13, 2024

R/. The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

R/. Alleluia.

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

1.      “Have no fear!”, “Fear not!” Jesus encourages his apostles against all the possible adversities on their mission. A good disciple tries to become like his master. His life would and mission would resemble his master’s. So, if the master himself went through suffering, maligning, and intimidating at the hands of his enemies, his disciples too can expect to meet the same fate.

2.      We need not fear the world or evil for a few reasons: one, only God has absolute power and control over us. Those of the world can kill only the body and not the soul. They have only a partial and limited say in our lives. They cannot totally dictate terms over our lives. But God has the power to kill both body and soul. He is the author of life and has absolute sway and control over our lives.

3.      Further, we need not fear any other factor because of God’s providential care. He who takes care of even small birds like the sparrows, will He not take care of us who are far more worthwhile. Besides, we need not fear because God considers us as precious. So valued are we in the sight of God that all our hairs are numbered and not a single hair would fall without His knowledge. And we are far more precious than the sparrows.

4.      Therefore we should fear only God and not any human. But this is not a negative fear. We should have a holy fear that inhibits us from anything that might displease or oppose God. With this fear of God as our armoury, we must set out following the master and fulfilling his mission.

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