The Catholic Liturgy for the 19th
Sunday of Ordinary Time, Aug. 11, 2019. Gospel – Luke 12:32-48. Theme: No Fear…
Jesus says a lot of things, but the one that really jumped
off the page and caught my attention was the opening line “Do not be afraid any
longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” This short little sentence from Jesus touches
the heart and reveals to us three things:
First, He assures us
that we never need to live in fear. It’s a familiar and frequent reminder that he gives to
his followers because he knows how easy it is for fear to take hold of our
lives. There are so many things these days that can have the effect of allowing
fear in one way or another to invade and disturb our hearts. Worry, panic,
anxiety and the like can become so paralyzing for some people and rob them of
the peace and enjoyment God wishes them to experience. We are not in control of everything that
happens in our lives but God is. And he
will make all things work out ultimately for the good of those who trust in him.
If, instead of spending time worrying about things, we use some of that time
for our personal conversation with God in quiet prayer from the heart, we will
see that fear begins to go slowly away and serenity enters in to take its place,
giving birth to trust in our lives.
Second, Jesus calls
us his “little flock”. This term of endearment reveals the intimacy and depths of his love
for us. Jesus has a gentle and compassionate heart which yearns to enter into a
meaningful relationship with each one of us.
These words, calling us “his” reveals not only that we belong to Jesus
but that he will shepherd and guide us throughout the ups and downs of life. Once
we grasp the depths and reality of his love for us, we will easily reject
temptations to fear, to be afraid. As the Scriptures tell us, perfect love
casts out all fear.
Third and lastly,
Jesus reminds us to reject fear because God our Father calls us to live within the
safety of the Kingdom of God. Jesus once said that “the kingdom of God is within you”
and this becomes a reality when we receive him in Holy Communion. This makes
total sense because a kingdom is where the King lives, and so through our
reception of the Eucharist, Jesus the King lives within us. This awesome
reality should drive out all fear from our hearts and increase our trust in
him. We do not need to be afraid any longer because we carry the King of heaven
and earth within us!
As we continue our liturgy and prepare for the awesome gift
of Holy Communion, let’s keep in mind these intimate words of our compassionate
Lord Jesus. Let’s allow his words to cast out all fear from our lives and to
increase within us the desire to draw closer to his Sacred Heart, which loves
us so much and asks only for our love in return.
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