Weekly Missionary Reflection
12th Sunday in ordinary time, 25 June 2023
Jer. 20:10-13; Ps. 69:8-10,14,17,33-35; Rom. 5:12-15; Matt. 10:26-33
Dear missionary friends,
The sparrow is the smallest bird among any kind of bird. It’s very cheap, even with no value. Nevertheless, the sparrow has become the trending topic of today’s Gospel This small and commonplace bird is cared for by God. As written in the Gospel of Matthew the sparrow will not fall to the ground without God’s knowledge. God takes good care of the sparrow. It plants no crop and has no barn of food, yet it never starves. So, if He takes good care of such a small and commonplace bird, He will even take more care of the humans, His noble creation. The Lord loves us very much. As expressed in the song of Sunday School:
If God so loves the little sparrows
He will love me too.
If God grants beauty to the lily
He will love me too
Remember that God so loves humans. The Gospel describes that the hairs of our heads are counted. Not a single hair will fall without His knowledge. If God so loves us and takes care of us, why are we still afraid? Afraid of failure, afraid of getting old and ugly, afraid of getting sick, afraid of rejection, afraid of no food, afraid of the devil, afraid of getting no partner, afraid of being abandoned by our children, afraid…, afraid…, and afraid of death?
God says, “Do not be afraid!” God teaches His disciples not to be afraid of anything, as fear makes us miserable and kills our physical bodies. Be afraid of Him who can kill our body and soul. The Gospel says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” Be afraid of God. This is another word for the life of faith.
As written by the prophet Jeremiah in today’s first reading, believers will never be free from misery and threat. Many of the believers experience of suffering, being slandered, threatened, persecuted, mocked, ostracized even killed. However, they face and live those adversities with courage, and no fear. The believers in the Church’s history, especially in the early age of the birth and development of the Church, had gone through miseries and tortures. They lived and hid in the caves and isolated places. Whenever they were found and arrested, they would be tortured, burned, fed to the wild animals, and killed. Yet they were not afraid. Their body was destroyed, yet their soul was saved and glorified by God.
Being a believer in this time, we will face challenges, temptation, and threats. However, we do not need to be afraid. Believe that God never sleeps. God will not let us struggle alone. God will protect and take care of us, as well when we are having adversities and suffering. God loves us. We are worth more to God! Much more the grace of God and the gracious gift that Jesus Christ overflows to us (Rom. 5:15) ***NW
(RD. M Nur Widipranoto- National Director of Pontifical Mission Society)
DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER
Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy, and sorrow in unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.
Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the Church, in particular, I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of the Indonesian Church of this month:
For church movements and groups
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their own charisms at the service of needs in the world.
For the wisdom of Mary
We pray that the mothers and women be willing to imitate Mother Mary, to be patient, wise, willing to sacrifice, and believe that the Lord will make the impossible possible for the life of their children and society.
Amen
Situs Resmi Karya Misi Kepausan Indonesia (KMKI) 