God’s Assurance and Reassurance

The readings this weekend are full of God’s assurance and reassurance. The Prophet Jeremiah speaks: ‘Terror is on every side! ‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ say all my friends, watching for my fall. ‘Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.’ ‘But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore, my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause’ (cf Jer 20:10-13). These words are reassuring.  St Paul writes that, ‘…death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam…But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for many’ (cf Rm 5:12-15). In the gospel, Blessed Lord says to us, ‘have no fear… Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father knowing. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows…’ (cf Mt 10:26-33)

Beloved people of God, his assurance and reassurance abound. All that is needed is and the reassurance is trustworthy. May his grace help us to accept that the God who makes these promises is faithful. He does not fail. 

We pray for the grace to be able appropriate these assurances and reassurances to ourselves. May we be able to apply them to our lives on a daily basis especially when we are terrorised, frightened and or are afraid. In his great mercy, at the appointed time, he will answer us.          

Fr Ted

All to Jesus – Through Mary our Mother