Fr David Sermon Notes – 22/6/26

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are some words of Jesus that immediately comfort us. "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden." "Peace I leave with you." "Fear not, little flock." And then there are passages like today's Gospel.

"Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

"I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."

"Those who find their life will lose it."

These are challenging words. They remind us that following Christ is not simply about receiving blessings. It is about belonging to him completely. It is about discipleship. The three readings today paint a realistic picture of the Christian life. They speak of opposition, struggle and sacrifice. Yet they also speak of courage, hope and victory. The phrase that echoes through the Gospel is one Jesus repeats three times: "Do not be afraid."

The disciples are being sent out into a world that will not always welcome them. Jesus warns them that they will face misunderstanding, hostility and rejection. Yet he tells them not to fear. That is remarkable because Jesus does not promise that nothing bad will happen. He does not promise an easy life. Instead, he promises that God will be with them in every circumstance.

The courage of the Christian is not based on confidence in ourselves. It is based on confidence in God.Many of us know that fear can take many forms. We fear failure. We fear criticism. We fear being different. We fear losing the approval of others. Sometimes we even fear speaking openly about our faith. Jesus understands all these fears. Yet he says: "Do not be afraid."

The God who notices every sparrow that falls to the ground knows every detail of our lives. The God who has counted the hairs of our heads is attentive to our every need. The antidote to fear is not self-confidence. It is God-confidence. The prophet Jeremiah helps us understand what this looks like. Jeremiah had faithfully proclaimed God's word, and it had brought him nothing but trouble. He was mocked, ridiculed and rejected.

In today's reading he cries out:"O Lord, you have enticed me, and I was enticed."

It is one of the most honest prayers in Scripture.

Jeremiah is exhausted. He is discouraged. He wonders whether following God's call has been worth it. Yet even in the middle of his complaint, he cannot let go of God.

He says: "The Lord is with me like a dread warrior."

Jeremiah teaches us something important. Faith is not pretending everything is fine. Faith is bringing our struggles honestly before God. The saints were not people who never doubted, never suffered or never became discouraged. They were people who continued to trust God in the midst of those experiences. Perhaps some of us today feel a little like Jeremiah. We may be carrying disappointments, burdens or unanswered prayers.

The good news is that God is not frightened by our honesty. He invites us to bring our fears and frustrations to him. And like Jeremiah, we discover that even when we feel weak, the Lord remains faithful. And then we have the reading from Romans which takes us to the very heart of the Christian life. Saint Paul reminds us that through baptism we have been united with Christ in his death and resurrection.

"We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life."

Christianity is not merely a set of beliefs or moral principles. It is participation in the life of Christ. Something has already happened to us. The old self has been crucified with Christ. The power of sin has been broken. A new life has begun.

That does not mean temptation disappears. Nor does it mean the Christian life becomes easy. But it means that our identity has changed. We belong to Christ. Every day we are called to live out what was begun in baptism: dying to sin and rising to new life. Every act of forgiveness, every sacrifice made for love, every moment of faithfulness is part of that dying and rising. The cross is not simply something we admire. It is a pattern we follow. This is why Jesus speaks about taking up the cross. The cross was not a decorative symbol. It was an instrument of death. To take up the cross means placing Christ at the centre of life, even when doing so costs us something. For some Christians around the world, that cost is very high indeed. For us, it may mean choosing integrity over popularity. It may mean speaking truth when silence would be easier. It may mean remaining faithful in prayer when we feel spiritually dry. It may mean serving others when we would rather focus on ourselves.

Yet Jesus promises that what appears to be loss is actually gain.

"Those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

The world says that fulfilment comes from putting ourselves first. Jesus says fulfilment comes from giving ourselves away. The world says, "Protect yourself." Jesus says, "Trust me." The world says, "Hold on tightly." Jesus says, "Give yourself in love." And in that self-giving we discover true life.

Conclusion

Today's readings call us to courageous discipleship.

Like Jeremiah, we may sometimes feel weary.

Like the disciples, we may face opposition or fear.

But like Saint Paul, we know that we have been united with Christ in his death and resurrection.

The One who calls us is faithful.

The One who knows every sparrow knows us.

The One who died for us has conquered death.

Therefore, we need not be afraid. As we come to the altar today, let us ask for the grace to follow Christ more faithfully, to carry whatever cross he gives us with courage, and to live each day in the power of his resurrection.

For in losing our lives for his sake, we discover the life that truly lasts.

Amen.