A Homily for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday, May 21, 2026
Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33
Audio Recording
Fear is one of the great burdens of our age. We worry about children and grandchildren. We worry about our health, our finances, and the future of our country and our Church. We fear loneliness. We fear suffering. And, if we’re honest, many of us fear death itself. Into all of those fears, Jesus speaks words that sound almost impossible: “Fear no one…Do not be afraid.”
Jeremiah knew what fear felt like. He knew what it was like to be rejected, ridiculed, and threatened. He heard people whispering behind his back: “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” Humanly speaking, he had every reason to give in to despair. Yet he could say, “The Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.” Jeremiah was not fearless because life was easy. He was fearless because he knew that God had not abandoned him.
And isn’t that what Jesus tells us in the Gospel? He doesn’t promise that life will be free of suffering. He doesn’t promise that faithful disciples will never be misunderstood or rejected. In fact, He tells His disciples that they will face opposition. But then He says, “Do not be afraid.” Why? Because God is our Father. Not one sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge. Even the hairs of our heads are counted.
In other words, we are known, we are loved, and we are held in the hands of a Father who sees far more than we can see and who provides the grace we need for every moment. We are not on our own. We are not abandoned. We are beloved sons and daughters of a good Father.
But today’s second reading from St. Paul reminds us that there is another fear we should confront—not fear of the future, but the truth about ourselves. St. Paul tells us that sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin. That isn’t a popular message in our culture. We readily acknowledge that evil exists, but we usually find it somewhere else—in politics, in society, or in other people. Rarely do we say, “Part of the problem is me.”
Imagine going to the doctor for a routine examination and being told that you have a serious disease. The news would be frightening enough, but then imagine the doctor continuing, “There is good news. We have a treatment, and the cure rate is nearly one hundred percent.” But suppose you reject the diagnosis. Suppose you insist that nothing is wrong and walk out without receiving the medicine. How tragic that would be.
Yet isn’t that what our world often does? We deny that there is a wound in the human heart. We convince ourselves that education, technology, psychology, or better systems alone will fix everything. But the Christian faith tells us something both humbling and hopeful. Yes, there is something wrong with us. We call it sin. But there is also good news. There is a Divine Physician.
Jesus did not come merely to offer advice or to make us feel better about ourselves. He came to save us. Through His Cross and Resurrection, He conquered sin and death. He offers forgiveness where there is guilt, hope where there is despair, and life where there was only death. The greatest obstacle to receiving that gift is pride. Pride says, “I’m fine. I don’t need forgiveness. My problems are somebody else’s fault.” Humility says, “Lord, have mercy on me.” And the wonderful surprise of the Gospel is that when we come to Him with humble hearts, we do not find condemnation. We find mercy.
So perhaps as you go about your day, you carry fears that no one else sees. Fear for a son or daughter. Fear for your health. Fear for our country. Fear about the future. Fear of suffering. Fear of death itself. Jesus says to you today, “Do not be afraid.”
And perhaps you carry burdens that are deeper still—the weight of past sins, regrets, wounds, and failures. The voice of the world says, “Nothing’s wrong. You don’t need forgiveness.” But the Gospel says something far more hopeful. It tells us that while there is indeed a wound in the human heart, there is also a remedy. There is a Divine Physician who has conquered sin and death. There is One who knows every hair on your head and who loved you enough to die for you. His name is Jesus Christ. Because of Him, fear does not have the last word, sin does not have the last word, and death does not have the last word. Grace has the last word.
And so, with Jeremiah, even in uncertain times, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.” Because He is, we need not be afraid. We are wounded, yes, but we are not abandoned. We need saving, and thanks be to God, we have a Savior. And His name is Jesus Christ.
God bless you.