The 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This weekend, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reminds us how much we are loved and valued by our Heavenly Father. Jesus tells us that he knows when each sparrow falls to the ground and that we shouldn’t worry because we are valued more than many sparrows. He knows us so well that he even knows how many hairs we have on our heads. This is something that most of us don't know about ourselves. Our creator loves us so much that he made us in his image; he didn’t do this for any other creation. He cares for us and wants us to come to him with our needs. He wants to have a close, personal relationship with each of us, as a child has with their loving parents. It is our turn to get to know him as much as he knows us and to share his love and mercy with others.
Jesus told us that he wants us to proclaim his Gospel message from the rooftops. Then he said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Every day, we have a choice: to profess our faith in Christ or to deny him before others. This may seem like an easy choice, but it can be easy to say one thing and do another. Do our actions and the way we live our lives show others that we are members of the Body of Christ? Do we care for others the same way Christ cares for us?
As we continue to grow closer to our Heavenly Father, may we spread the message of Christ’s love and mercy to everyone we meet.
Your brother in Christ,
Deacon Manny
