Homily

Draw from the source

Bearing the Word of the Lord has always been a great and beautiful mission. But we all know that it comes with its share of difficulties and suffering. Today's liturgy has allowed us to hear the lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah: "I hear the slander of the crowd… Denounce him!" It is costly for him to proclaim the word that God has placed in his mouth. His faith is being tested. But he turns to the Lord to defend him. God has promised to be with him to deliver him from his persecutors.

Even in adversity, God remains close to us. As a sign of gratitude, the prophet ends his prayer with praise: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the afflicted from the hand of the wicked.” It is also this gratitude that we offer to the Lord. As the apostle Paul says, nothing can separate us from his love.

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of humanity steeped in sin: “…through one man sin entered the world…” We witness this presence of evil every day. But this reign of sin cannot have the final word. Through his death and resurrection, Christ inaugurated the universal order of salvation. On another occasion, the Apostle Paul would write: “Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more.” Much has been said about “original sin,” but perhaps not enough about the “original grace” obtained through Christ.

So yes, we must not be afraid; this is what Jesus reminds us of this Sunday. Following in the footsteps of the prophet Jeremiah, the apostle Paul, and many others, we are sent to spread the Word of God. Our mission is to reveal the One who has "the words of eternal life." This mission is not without its difficulties. Christians face unbelief, indifference, and ridicule every day. They are accused of spreading an "obscurantist ideology." But the Lord reassures us: "Do not be afraid... I am with you."

When Saint Matthew wrote his Gospel, Christians were persecuted, hunted down, and put to death. And this is even more true today. But we must hear again these words of the Lord: “Do not be afraid… Do not fear… I am with you.” The most malevolent people can kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. They cannot overcome our dynamism, our confidence. They cannot make us doubt God’s love. This is not the time to falter, for evil will not have the last word. The risen Christ wants to unite us all in his victory over sin and death.

We Christians are therefore all called to welcome Christ and place him at the center of our lives. This love he places within us, we must proclaim and radiate to those around us. Many Christians are organizing to spread his message on television, radio, in the press, on the internet, and through every means at their disposal. Christ relies on the commitment of all his disciples so that his Gospel may be proclaimed to all nations. No one can do it in their place.

Today’s Gospel concludes with a very firm warning: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will also disown before my Father in heaven.” We must not be afraid to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to Christ. In a hostile or indifferent environment, it is not easy to profess one’s faith. And yet, even children set an example for us. Many would rather die than deny their faith in Christ. This is important for us: we can always count on him, even when everything seems to be going wrong.

The good news this Sunday is that God does not abandon us; on the contrary, he cares for each one of us. He is by our side in our fight against the forces of evil. His love is ours once and for all, and nothing can separate us from it. Beyond the cross lies the certainty of the resurrection, the one we celebrate every Sunday.

Like Jeremiah, like Jesus, and like Paul, we are sent. We arrive on the eve of the holidays. This is also the opportune time to be simple and authentic witnesses. May the Holy Spirit always be with us to help us give an account of the hope that inspires us. And may Mary, our heavenly mother, accompany us on this journey.