“So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:31
Just think about your most precious, valuable possession. Maybe it’s that car which you don’t let anyone drive or a family heirloom like a coat or necklace that you don’t let anyone borrow. Now think about how much it means to you or how you’re not willing to part with it or how you won’t let anyone touch it. This is the reality which we find in our relationship with God. He holds on to us like we hold on to a precious valuable; better yet, in his eyes, we’re priceless. We’re his most precious possession, and as such, we can be assured that He won’t let anything separate us from him. He will care for us and even stands in the way of danger for us. Actually, He put his life on the line for us. Therefore, why the fear; rather, trust in God’s providence, trust that He’s aware of our every concern, and trust that He will respond to our needs. In turn, our response is to love, to respect, and to root our life in him and in his power – a power that knows me intimately and guides me according to his purpose. Fear then isn’t something to fret over if we believe that we have a God who values us and cares for us as his own. The choice is ultimately up to us – to take up the mission or reject it. Keep in mind, the rejection is our own denial before the Father.
This week, we remember two saints that valued and trusted in the Father’s love and care, Saint Thomas More and Saint John the Baptist whose Nativity we celebrate. They may have given their lives to God’s truth, yet in remaining steadfast to the faith, they inherited something greater and more precious – God’s gift and promise of eternal life. Their choice in this life was a sacrifice for something greater when in the end, they made the choice not to deny the Father but accept him. We pray that their example helps us to value our relationship with God. Saint Thomas More and Saint John the Baptist pray for us.
In Christ
Fr Robert