Homily: August 12, 2025, Tuesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time.

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 “It is the LORD who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.”

What do you fear?

Every one of us, deep inside or possibly very obviously, has certain fears - things or situations we hope and pray we will never have to face. Some fears fade as we grow older or as circumstances change, some fears remain with us for a long time, especially if we do not make any effort to manage it proactively or positively.

When I was a little boy, I was very afraid of snakes. But after my papa taught me how to kill them, I overcame that fear quickly. When I was a student, tests and exams caused me to tremble in fear. I have never overcome that fear. I simply stopped going to school after the age of 28. So for the past nine years I haven’t had to face tests and exams anymore!

When I first came to this country, I was always nervous about attending meetings. I was not familiar with the culture here and did not know what the right thing was to say during meetings, especially when everyone around me seemed to have lots of opinions and suggestions, and I would almost freeze in shock if someone in the meeting asked me to speak. I even get sleepless nights worrying about next day’s meetings. I have definitely grown out of those fears now.

Though I am not afraid of dying, I am actually very afraid of facing the death of the loved ones in my life, especially if their deaths were sudden. You, too, have your own fears, I am sure.

How can we overcome, or manage our fears better?

The same God who assured Moses and the Israelites as they faced tremendous fears in their lives, now says to each of us today: “I will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you.”

This truth comforts me deeply. Because I know, no matter how badly I perform, or how poorly I fail, God will never abandon me. He will never fail me. Whatever struggles we are facing, we are not alone.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to be childlike, to trust Him completely, like innocent children depending entirely on their parents, or people who care for them.

If we cling on to God with that kind of trust, we can rest assured that our good and faithful Lord will protect us, guide us, and save us. He will not abandon us.

Amen.


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