Who Are You Afraid Of?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

If I asked you this morning, “What is your biggest fear?” what would you say? Maybe it’s failing. Maybe it’s losing someone you love. Maybe it’s getting sick. Or maybe it’s something we don’t like to admit – we’re afraid of what people think about us. I think many of us spend more time trying to please people than we realize.

That is exactly what Jesus speaks about in today’s Gospel. Three times He tells His disciples, “Do not be afraid.” Why? Because He knows fear can stop us from living the life God calls us to live. Jesus says something surprising: “A disciple is not above the teacher.” In other words, “If they rejected Me, don’t be surprised if they reject you too.” That sounds discouraging. But then Jesus immediately says, “Do not be afraid.”

Notice that Jesus never promises an easy life. He promises something better. He promises that we will never face life alone. Then He gives one of the most beautiful images in the Gospel. “Not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge… Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.”

Think about that. God knows how many hairs are on your head. I don’t even know how many socks I own! Jesus is telling us that God’s love is incredibly personal. He doesn’t just love humanity. He loves you. He knows your worries. He knows your struggles. He knows the fear you brought into church today. And He says, “You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Today we also remember St. Benedict. Benedict lived in a world filled with confusion, violence, and moral collapse. Many people had given up hope. Did Benedict complain about the darkness? No. He became a light. He didn’t change the whole world overnight. He simply allowed God to change him first. His monasteries became places of prayer, work, learning, hospitality, and peace. Little by little, those communities renewed the Church and even helped rebuild society.

Here’s something worth thinking about: The world is not changed first by loud voices. It is changed by faithful hearts. That is what Jesus is asking of us. Not to be famous. Not to win every argument. Not to have everyone like us. Simply to be faithful.

So let me ask you one more question. Whose opinion matters most in your life? The people at work? Your friends? Social media? Your neighbors? Or Jesus?

Because when we fear people more than we trust God, we become prisoners of their opinions. But when we trust God more than we fear people, we become free.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, so many things compete for my attention, and so many fears hold me back. Help me to remember that I am known, loved, and never forgotten by You. Give me the courage of St. Benedict, to choose faith over fear, truth over comfort, and Your approval over the opinions of others. May my life quietly reflect Your love, so that others may come to know You through me. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko