Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Matthew 10: 24-33
July 12, 2025 | Saturday

Today’s Gospel

A student is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. A student should be content to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If the head of the household has been called Beelzebul, how much more, those of his household! So, do not be afraid of them!

There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered. There is nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I am telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light. What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but have no power to kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For a few cents you can buy two sparrows. Yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father knowing. As for you, every hair of your head has been counted. Do not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows!

Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. Whoever rejects me before others, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

Today’s Reflection

In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to speak to His disciples as they are sent out on their mission. Notably, within these ten verses, Jesus tells them not to be afraid three times.

Every disciple, then and now, knows that the mission to go out and proclaim the Gospel could be difficult and demanding. To be like Christ, to imitate His life, and to transform our lives is hard enough. Proclaiming what we believe to the outside world is harder because we could face rejection, resistance, repression, or ridicule. We could be reviled as medieval and backward for being against divorce, bigoted for speaking out against same-sex marriage, and intolerant for our opposition to abortion. Yet, we have to continue with our mission, for the moral truths we preach are immutable, unchanging, and unyielding.

Jesus urges us not to be afraid even when our lives are endangered, threatened, or terminated because of our faith. He reminds us that what is ultimately important is not our transient earthly existence but that we obtain eternal life. Our biggest fear should be that we do not join Him in heaven. As we go on with our tasks, we need not be fearful as He assures us of His continuing presence and protection. If He pays attention to the minutest details of our lives, such as the “hairs (on) our head,” we are guaranteed that He totally cares for us, body and soul.

Our Christian duty is to develop ourselves into effective witnesses as we reform our lives, continuously pray, and strengthen our faith. We toil not for ourselves but for Jesus; hence, in our efforts, we must humbly rely on His power and benevolence at all times and not on our independent judgment or skill, for “no disciple is above his teacher.” Let us respond boldly to Christ’s call, ever hopeful that in the end, we may be graced with His acknowledgment before His heavenly Father.

/Vulnerasti, 2025