Your Salvation That Never Fails

 

We are slaves of fear until we have faith in God’s salvation. 

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, June 25th, 2023
Texts: Jeremiah 20: 10-13; Psalm 69:7-9.13.16.32-34; Romans 5 :12-15; Matthew 10:26-33 

The message, today, is about assurance of salvation. This is clear in our liturgical readings of today. Today’s psalmist says of God thus: “your salvation that never fails.” Assurance of salvation is needed because God knows that being Christian is not a bed of roses. Prophet Jeremiah is given as an example in today’s first reading. He says, “I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! ‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ ... ‘Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our ‘revenge on him.’”

Jesus Christ also affirms in today’s gospel reading that we will experience opposition. Immediately He gives us mandate He says, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” He knows that doing what He asks us to do will cost us opposition. He knows that the world cannot take what He asks us to do; it will fight back. The psalmist of today says, It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame has covered my face. To my own kin I have become an outcast, a stranger to the children of my mother.”   

You are of more value than many sparrows

Knowing what we stand against, Jesus assures us of salvation based on God’s love for us. He says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” The psalmist marvels at so great a value God placed on man: “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honour” (8:4-5).  

Apostle Paul tells us in today’s second reading that salvation comes from Jesus Christ. He proves the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ based on divine principle. He says, “For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” The salvation in Jesus Christ is guaranteed because it follows the divine principle. As we inherit death through Adam’s disobedience, we inherit life through Christ’s obedience.  

We are slaves of fear until we have faith in God’s salvation

It is our assurance of God’s salvation that drives away fear and gives us courage to acknowledge God before men. This is clear in the life of Jeremiah. He says, “But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. ... Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” Fear still fills our hearts because we only place a lip-service to God’s salvation; it does not reach our hearts. We say it but we do not mean it. We are slaves of fear until we have faith in God’s salvation.  

The salvation Jesus assures us in the gospel reading is that of the soul. Only God can kill the soul. If we acknowledge Him here on earth, He will save our soul. Hence, He says, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”   

Prayer 

Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance and salvation those you set firm on the foundation of your love; may we see your salvation that never fails. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke