Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and can do no more
Ephesians 1:11-14
Luke 12:1-7
To understand today's gospel, we need to recall what we have been hearing in the last few days in the preceding gospel texts. It all started when Jesus was invited to dine at the house of a Pharisee. The host observed how the disciples of Jesus ate without washing themselves according to the traditions of the elders. This provoked Jesus to castigate the Pharisees about their hypocrisy of sticking to traditions and to appearances when inside their hearts were full of extortion and godlessness. After that we hear a series of woes against the Pharisees for the many hypocritical things they do. We are not told about the reaction of the Pharisees at that time, but certainly this was not meant to endear Jesus to them. Probably they were working out the best way to deal with Jesus.
The disciples on their part must have begun to fear for their master and for themselves. Exposing the mistakes of the powerful and ruthless and annoying them is a dangerous thing. The disciples knew what the Pharisees were capable of doing. They even had a temple police of their own. In today's gospel Jesus finds it necessary to teach the disciples not to be afraid of the threat of their enemies. It was true they could kill, but that was how far they could go. Instead, it is God who is to be feared because he can punish even beyond death and in a much more severe and lasting way. This was also a warning to those who might be plotting to find a way of dealing with Jesus and his followers.
On the other hand, the disciples must know that anyone who is trying to please God must have no cause to fear. God is a loving Father who tenderly takes care of his children. A disciple must have no fear of any threat, because the heavenly Father knows even the number of hairs on the head of each of his children. Every child of God is much more worth than a sparrow that costs so little and that God takes such great care for. In the first reading Paul beautifully summarizes the wonderful destiny of the followers of Christ in the loving plan of the Father: "In Christ we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ." In ferial gratitude to God for his loving care we pray for an increase in faith in the Son who leads us and for the docility of heart to follow where he leads.
