Jeremiah 20.10-13 | Romans 5.12-15 | Matthew 10.26-33

We begin the twelfth week of Ordinary Time with Mother Church, deepening our knowledge and experience of Jesus as the Christ of God, being His disciples and missionaries.

Today the evangelist Matthew speaks to us of the readiness to give one's life in the proclamation of Christ and the Gospel in a violent and hostile world.

Jesus assured His apostles that everything that was covered and hidden would be revealed and known. This was a reference, on the one hand, to the actions of evil men and, on the other hand, to the divine truth of salvation in Christ.

Jesus acknowledged that there were murderous men. However, more than fearing men who killed the body, Jesus told the apostles that they should fear the Father who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Speaking of the Father, Jesus said that He cared for all His creatures, like sparrows, and that He also did so with His apostles. Therefore, they could declare themselves in favor of Jesus and proclaim His teachings without fear, trusting in the Father. To those who acted in this way, Jesus would also declare Himself in their favor before His Father who was in heaven.

The certainty of the Father's care moved Jesus in His proclamation of the Kingdom of God among His adversaries, especially during His passion until the crucifixion.

The first generations of Christians suffered violent persecutions that led to martyrdom, to death in defense of the faith in Christ among nations with different religions. The Church has always honored the martyrs, teaching that they were received by Christ in heaven. Certainly, those inspiring words of Jesus comforted the hearts of those martyred Christians.

Although religious freedom is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, embraced by a large part of the world's nations, there is still persecution and violence against Christians today. It is fitting that we support the defense of religious rights and, with firmness and joy, declare the divine truth of salvation in Christ.

Today the prophet Jeremiah speaks to us of the evil deeds of men and his friends against him, and of his trust in the Lord of hosts who would save him.

Perhaps Jeremiah was the prophet who suffered the most persecution from adversaries. When Jesus questioned His apostles about who the people said He was, they replied that some said that Jesus was Jeremiah (cf. Matthew 16.13), because of His courage in proclaiming and denouncing, and also because of the persecution He suffered, even from those who called themselves friends (like Judas Iscariot).

Both Jeremiah and Jesus trusted that the Lord was on their side, like a mighty warrior, who tested the righteous and saw the feelings of the heart, and who covered the defeated persecutors with shame.

If we too are persecuted in our proclamation of the Kingdom of God and in our denunciation of injustices, let us declare our cause to the Lord, certain that He will defend us and give us victory. Therefore, let us continue singing and praising the Lord.

Today, in his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul speaks to us about Adam, sin, and death, and about Jesus Christ, God's grace, and life.

The apostle explained that the Law given by God to Moses only revealed the sin that leads to death, but it did not prevent sinners from dying. Since Adam, because of sin, men had been dying.

But Paul taught that God's grace through Christ was infinitely superior to Adam's sin, bringing life where death once reigned.

Faith in the victory of grace over sin and of life over death moves the hearts of Christians and fills them with hope to persevere in the practice of faith from earth to heaven.

Yes, sin still has a strong impact on individual, ecclesial, and social life, leading to various situations of injustice and death. But we must focus on the unsurpassable grace of God, which is the engine of inner renewal and of the structures of the Church and society.