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Do not be afraid



June 21

Gospel
Matthew 10:26-33
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.
    ‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
    ‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

Reflection

Jesus calls us to examine our own hearts before judging others. The imagery of a plank in our own eye versus a splinter in a neighbor’s invites humility: before pointing out faults, we should honestly assess our own shortcomings and seek transformation. When we cultivate compassion, mercy, and self-awareness, our judgments become fairer and our help more sincere. True clarity comes not from pointing fingers, but from aligning our actions with grace we wish to receive.


Question for reflection

- In what situation today might I be quick to judge another, and what is one concrete step I can take to address my own contributing flaw first?

Prayer

Loving God, grant me the humility to look inward before judging others. Help me to remove the plank from my own eye with sincerity and to approach others with gentleness, truth, and mercy. Teach me to see clearly not to condemn, but to build up and to offer help that is rooted in love. Amen.


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