25 June 2017
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In Summa Theologiae, Secunda Secundae Partis, St. Thomas Aquinas dealt with a question “whether worldly fear is always evil?” He replied, “Accordingly worldly love is, properly speaking, the love whereby a man trusts in the world as his end, so that worldly love is always evil. Now fear is born of love, since man fears the loss of what he loves…Now worldly fear is that which arises from worldly love as from an evil root, for which reason worldly fear is always evil” (ST. II-II Q. 19, A.3).
In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples: “Fear no one. … And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul … So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. … Everyone who acknowledges me before others. I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Jesus knows that fear is the worst enemy of heroic deeds. As he calls the twelve to be his heroic disciples, he must first deal with their fear.
Indeed, we are living in a world surrounded by a tremendous amount of fear. Let us keep aside the fear of terorrism or security breaches. Some of us are over achievers and the greatest fear of over achievers is failing at anything. We are afraid to fail our family, the world, and ourselves. Some of us are afraid of being rejected by the world. We are afraid that nobody will like us and will not want to be our friends.
Speak to Jesus now about your fears. Ask Jesus directly how through Him, you can overcome those fears? Say what your fear is to Jesus.