Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR
Homily for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN
Sunday, June 21, 2026
In the second part of last week’s Gospel (Matthew 10:1-8), we heard about the selection of the Twelve Apostles. They were originally disciples, followers, and apprentices. After being chosen from the many, Jesus designates them as apostles. The word “apostle” means “one who is sent.” Seeing the enormous work that needs to be done, “the harvest is indeed great, but the laborers are few,” (Matthew 9:37), Jesus chooses them, commissions them, and sends them to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6).
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to teach, instruct, and warn his disciples as they prepare for the mission ahead. The first words from his lips are: “Fear no one.” Why should we, followers of Christ, not be afraid of anyone? The first reason Jesus gives is that, in the end, everything will be clear in heaven. The truth and nothing but the truth will emerge. Anyone can believe what they want. You are free to believe and accept the side of the story you want. But in the end, when we get to heaven, everything will be laid bare. That is the day when, as Jesus puts it, “nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” If you are standing on the truth of the Gospel, fear no one. God always wins. Those who prefer to win in this world by spreading lies, half-truths, and divisive and hateful rhetoric will finally lose. Their lies and hateful machinations will be exposed to their shame.
The second reason Jesus tells us not to be afraid is that the worst evil that can be done to us against our will in this life is murder and death. The forces of darkness and workers of iniquity can kill us. They can steal our bodies. But they can never steal our souls. The souls of the just are in the hands of the Lord. If I am killed because of my faith in the Lord, I will be made a martyr. And guess what? Martyrs go to heaven. They can even say to their killers, “Thank you for the ticket to heaven.” Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna (hell).” Who is that? Some say, “It is God.” Some say, “It is the devil.” But I say, “It is you, yourself.” Look at it this way: God is not at work to destroy either the bodies or the souls, but to glorify them. Our bodies are, as St. Paul says, “temples of the Holy Spirit.” But after we get old and die, we will get new bodies, resurrected and transfigured ones, better ones that are immortal in heaven. So, no matter what evils are done to us in this life, no one can kill our immortal soul. God gives life to the soul as the soul gives life to the body. That is God’s work: spiritual life, not death. God does not put anyone in hell. Nor can the devil do that against our will. The only one who can do that is you.
The third reason we should not be afraid is that we are precious to God, our heavenly Father. Even sparrows sold for a few pennies have value. Jesus says, “You are worth more than many sparrows” to God, who cares for every single hair on your head. God’s love is total. He loves each of us completely. Why? Because each of us is imago Dei. When God looks at you, he sees himself in you. He sees his image. Yes, sometimes God may allow bad things to happen to you. It is not because he does not care. It is all for your good. In the end, God will come through for us. The name of my late uncle, who was responsible for early education in Nigeria, was Godwin, which means “in the end, God would win.” God in you will finally be the winner. The fourth reason we should not be afraid is that if we acknowledge Jesus, the Father will acknowledge us. If we love Jesus, the Father will love us. If we confess Jesus, the Father will confess us and acknowledge that we are his children, brothers and sisters of Jesus. I tell you, nothing is greater than being called a child of God. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga once said, “It is better to be a child of God than king of the whole world.” Therefore, what we must do now, before others, is to acknowledge in both words and deeds that we belong to Jesus. An anonymous Christian is useless to the Lord and to the Church. In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” No fear of the known or the unknown should deter us from proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. When you meet God in the Last Judgment, and he asks you, “Why should I open the doors of my heaven for you?” and you answer, “Jesus,” he will throw the door open for you with a warm and wonderful smile.
So, fear no one. Fear nothing. For what lies ahead is far greater than what is here.
God bless you!
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