Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today, in our readings, we are reminded of the power of faith and the inevitable persecutions as a result of our faith … of our trust in God’s love for us, and in the promise of everlasting life.  As we know, the journey of faith can be difficult and filled with trials and tribulations along the way.  As disciples, we are not ‘above our master,’ and therefore likely to experience the same fate as Jesus.  As followers of Christ, we will be ridiculed for our values, we will experience hardships and we’ll endure suffering. And yet, the message of courage and accompaniment is clear; Jesus reassures us by saying “do not be afraid,” several times throughout this passage. 

The lines that struck me as I read today were:

Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.

Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

In these lines, I am reminded at how intimately God knows me, and how much I am deeply loved.  

Today, let us take God’s love for us, God’s reassurance (‘be not afraid’) and God’ accompaniment with us, as we endure the sufferings of today.