Jesus said to his Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 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.”
REFLECTION
be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna
Just the other day we were watching a documentary, "World's Deadliest Snakes". Fear was immediate especially when seeing how well the snakes camouflaged under dead leaves, between green grape vines, and how quickly they killed their prey. Fear of public speaking, being alone, being left out, heights, scorpions, spiders and those dreadful cockroaches from Houston definitely took second place to these venomous snakes.
My granddaughter reminded me that St Paul was bitten by a snake hiding in the fire wood, and the snake would not let go. Hanging off his hand, the snake finally fell off. St Paul had no fear nor problems. He continued with his mission. There was no panic from St Paul.
The fear of God is the antidote to the fear of losing one's life. The greatest loss is to lose the spiritual fight, the loss of my soul to the devil, his power of hell. What is worse... a python, an adder, a pit viper or pride, envy, gluttony, lust, greed, wrath, or sloth? Ask the Holy Spirit for His help to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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