Convenience or Conviction

12th Sunday In Ordinary Time
22 June 2008

First reading Jeremiah 20:10 - 13
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.

Second reading Romans 5:12 - 15
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.

Gospel Matthew 10:26 - 33
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not be afraid of them. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’


Reflection
By Pietro S. Albano

Conrad has been a catechist in his parish for a few years already. A man of diverse talents, he was very effective in teaching his students including the children participating in the weekly Sunday Mass. His cartoon illustrations in the parish newsletter captures the attention of readers for these convey the message of what was written on paper. Everything seemed rosy for Conrad until the community leaders warned him not to associate himself with the already disbanded newsletter staff. He found it strange to be bullied by parish colleagues. His fellow catechists have also been warned and have bowed to the pressure they have experienced. Will he give in as well? Conrad decided not to. Rather than act against his conscience, he chose to serve as catechist in another parish. How many of us are like Conrad? Or rather, how many of us are like his fellow catechists? At the end of the day, we will all be judged by how we choose between convenience and conviction.







Lord God, let me always place my trust in You even when others have turned their backs on me, even when others have gone the 'other route'. In Jesus' name. Amen.