12TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME HOMILY – YEAR A 2026
JESUS ENCOURAGES PERSEVERANCE IN FAITH AND MISSION
Mt 10.26-33 Jer 20.10-13 Rom 5.12-15
After celebrating First Communions with 50 or so of our Grade 4 students at OLN, this week was typical of the diversity of ministry, as I was called out 5 times to anoint the sick and elderly, celebrated Mass for St Columba’s feast day with the 1000+ young ladies a nd staff, down the road, and heard 75 Confessions for Reconciliation with our mainly grade 3 primary students, as they look forward to First Eucharist next year. It makes me think about the positive effects that this faith message of Jesus brings to our lives, in all sorts of ways and in all of its stages! Yes, there might not be as much connection as we would hope for on a regular basis, but these are all still important moments of enlightenment in applying Gospel values to our lives.
Grade 4’s at OLN sent me a few messages afterwards: “Dear Father John. Thank you for attending both Masses when you could be doing anything else (I’m not sure what, given ,y occupation!!). We are also grateful for your really engaging storys (sic!) and inspiring homily. Thank you for letting us in the holy and praysfull altar…”. Then: “Thank you for inviting us onto the altar to be part of the liturgy of the Eucharist… Thank you for reading us funny and engaging and inspiring stories, to engage us in the life of Jesus. Thank you for celebrating the gift of Eucharist with us. Thank you for bringing us closer to God and also reading us lots of stories about God that inspire us to do good things.” Oh well, I’ll happily accept any expressions of appreciation offered!!
And now, from 600BC or so, poor old Jeremiah, known as: “The Weeping Prophet”, one of the more miserable prophets, sets the tone, where he is feeling down and out, because he feels a failure in his efforts to call the people of Israel back to living their faith and worshipping the one God, in the midst of all the chaos of other rituals and beliefs influencing them to try the alternatives, of diverse false gods and practices. At the same time, he moves from despair, as he reflects in a state of depression, then moves to a more positive frame of mind, with words of hope, in a God he believes will vindicate him in the end. Whatever about vengeance, he hopes for justice and peace, where good will ultimately will triumph over evil.
Back on track, in today’s Gospel, here we have Matthew providing hope for the disciples in the early Church, looking back at Jesus’ words of encouragement to stick with the message and to live out their faith in challenging times. The reality of opposition, misunderstanding, criticism and rejection is part of the deal, but reassurance is given that his presence is enduring, as is the call to faith, particularly in tough times, guided by the Spirit.
When we consider the challenges of life in the early Church, as Christian communities became established and started to find their feet, in a changing world, we can perhaps understand the need for reassurance and perseverance, particularly in times of fear and doubt, which are only natural. The message is positive and not just theoretical, but to be lived in practice, as Jesus’ principles of life are taken to heart.
Yet, today, from some quarters, we hear messages of gloom and doom and fear, where looking backwards is encouraged, rather than facing up to the current situation in which we find ourselves, with a future to be determined by the informed choices we make about making our world a better place, because we’re in it.
It’s all very well to talk of a so called ‘golden age’ in the past, that was comfortable, secure and peaceful, but that’s only possible, with rose coloured glasses, denying the facts of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination, particularly against those who were different, in race, beliefs or culture. It doesn’t take much to see that we have come a long way in our own society, in appreciating diversity, respecting differences, and acknowledging the human dignity of each person, with the right to freedom of religion, speech, and equal opportunities, in health, education and welfare, for a start, and of course, respect for indigenous rights. There never was a perfect society, and never will be, but there’s always room for growth and improvement!
Jesus today takes the example of a pair of sparrows, lowest on the price scale, presumably for temple offerings, but then speaks of them as significant creatures, important to God, however minor or small. Then he moves to hairs on the head being counted, for some more significant than others, as I say there are far more important things than the hairs on our heads. What is more, you can always get a wig (I’ve quite a collection myself, from multi-coloured to Rastafarian!).
The call is to face up to our fears and find strength in faith, following him, who has shown us the way to acknowledge his presence in our lives, as we live in his light and love, by responding to the Gospel in word and action, by what we say and do.
For the St Columba’s Mass, focussed on the theme of justice in a flawed world, where injustice often enough rears its ugly head, I used a story of a father’s love and hope, titled “Of Thee I Sing”, where Barack Obama uses positive role models to encourage his daughters to be their best selves, and to work towards a better world. I tell it again today as, to my mind, it fits with our theme of overcoming our fears, with inspiring role models, strengthened by faith and Gospel values applied.
john hannon WINTER SOLSTICE – SHORTEST DAY 21st June 2026
As Brendan Byrne SJ says: “This is a Gospel which readily illustrates the adage that Christianity is comforting, but not comfortable. The evangelist (Matthew) presents Jesus as insisting that the Gospel is not something to be talked about and lived behind closed doors. It – and the values it enshrines – demands public witness and proclamation…
The challenge of today’s Gospel may seem remote from the experience of Christians in Western societies today. It will have a far greater immediacy for the growing number of believers who have to live out their commitment as a minority in a surrounding sea of fundamentalism and intolerance.”
And Claude Mostowik MSC offers a thought too: “All of creation witnesses to the great mystery of God’s love. At the heart of this is a God who also counts the uncountable, whether it is the hairs on our head, the tiny sparrow or the poorest person. We are being called beyond our fears, insecurities and dark moments to embrace a vision of hope for a world that is built where every human is equally loved – a world that sees the face of God in every living thing… Jesus is encouraging the disciples to preach with boldness, despite opposition, obstacles setbacks and even threats… What they experience is nothing new, but they will not be abandoned.”