A Catholic–Anglican Poetic Meditation
First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10–13
Psalm: Psalm 69
Response: “Lord, in your great love, answer me.”
Second Reading: Romans 5:12–15
Gospel: Matthew 10:26–33
FEAR NOT, FOR GOD IS WITH YOU
There are seasons when faith feels like a lonely road.
The prophet Jeremiah knew such days.
In the First Reading, we find him surrounded by whispers and accusations:
“Terror on every side!”
Friends become informers.
Neighbours become critics.
The faithful servant becomes the object of ridicule.
Yet amid the storm of human hostility, Jeremiah discovers a deeper truth:
“The Lord is with me like a mighty champion.”
What courage springs from such faith!
Not courage born of human strength,
nor confidence resting upon earthly power,
but the quiet assurance that God never abandons those who trust Him.
How often the Church has walked Jeremiah’s path.
The saints, martyrs, reformers, missionaries, and faithful believers of every age have known misunderstanding and rejection.
Yet the God who upheld Jeremiah continues to uphold His people.
Thus the Psalmist cries:
“Lord, in your great love, answer me.”
This is no polished prayer from a place of comfort.
It is the cry of a soul in distress.
A prayer rising from tears.
A plea ascending from wounded hearts.
And yet the Psalm does not end in despair.
For God’s love is greater than our afflictions.
His mercy outlasts our failures.
His faithfulness reaches beyond our darkest night.
The prayer of the Church has always been this:
“When all else fails,
Lord, answer me in Your great love.”
Then Saint Paul opens before us the vast drama of salvation.
Through one man, Adam, sin entered the world.
Like a shadow stretching across creation,
sin wounded humanity
and death became a universal companion.
Yet Paul hastens to proclaim the greater truth.
If one man’s disobedience brought ruin,
how much more shall one Man’s obedience bring life!
Where Adam fell,
Christ triumphs.
Where sin increased,
grace overflowed.
Where death reigned,
life now reigns through Jesus Christ.
At the heart of Catholic devotion and Anglican worship stands this glorious mystery:
Humanity’s story is not defined by Adam’s failure,
but by Christ’s victory.
The Cross is greater than the Fall.
Grace is stronger than sin.
Mercy has the final word.
Then the Gospel brings us to the voice of Jesus Himself.
“Do not be afraid.”
Again and again He repeats the command.
Do not fear those who oppose you.
Do not fear those who misunderstand you.
Do not fear those who can harm the body but cannot touch the soul.
The Lord knows every sparrow that falls.
Not one escapes His notice.
And if God remembers the sparrows,
how much more does He remember His children?
Every tear is seen.
Every prayer is heard.
Every struggle is known.
Even the hairs upon our heads are numbered.
Such intimate care astonishes the heart.
The God who governs galaxies
also watches over individual lives.
The God who sustains creation
also sustains the weary believer.
Therefore Christ calls His disciples to courage.
Not arrogance.
Not recklessness.
But faithful witness.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”
The challenge remains urgent today.
In a world where faith is often ridiculed,
where truth is frequently compromised,
where convenience competes with conviction,
Christ invites His followers to stand firm.
The Catholic and the Anglican alike are called
to confess Christ not only with their lips,
but with their lives.
In worship and service.
In charity and justice.
In humility and holiness.
For the Church’s greatest testimony
is not merely what she proclaims,
but what she embodies.
And so these sacred readings weave together a single message:
Jeremiah teaches us perseverance.
The Psalm teaches us prayer.
Paul teaches us grace.
Christ teaches us courage.
When enemies surround us,
God is our champion.
When sorrow overwhelms us,
God is our refuge.
When sin threatens us,
God is our Redeemer.
When fear confronts us,
God is our strength.
Therefore let every anxious heart hear again the words of the Master:
“Do not be afraid.”
For the Lord who redeemed us by His blood
will never forsake those whom He calls His own.
Prayer
Almighty and Everlasting God,
whose love answers the cry of the afflicted,
whose grace overcomes the power of sin,
and whose Son teaches us not to fear:
strengthen Your Church in every trial,
grant courage to all who confess Christ,
and fill us with the assurance of Your abiding presence,
that we may faithfully witness to Your truth
until we stand before You in glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Closing Reflection
The world may whisper fear, but the Gospel proclaims courage. The Fall introduced sin, but the Cross unveiled grace. Therefore, let every believer walk confidently, for the God who counts the sparrows also holds His children in the palm of His hand.
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus.
Story: Col Augustine Ansu Rtd
