Have you ever noticed how some people become strangely energized when you make a mistake? When you succeed, they become quiet. When doors open for you, they suddenly become distant. When you share good news, they scroll past it or change the subject. You can post ten inspiring messages on social media, and they never react. But the day you misspell a word. The day you post something inaccurate. The day you make a mistake. Suddenly they appear from nowhere. They start reacting, commenting, and sharing with unusual speed.
Some people will ignore ten years of your faithfulness and become energized by one moment of failure. Let your marriage struggle; let your child make a bad decision, and they want details. Let your career hit a setback, and they become unusually interested. Let your plans fall apart or have some health challenges, and they ask questions disguised as concern. In all honesty, your pain is their gain. Most of us have met people like that. Maybe we can even picture their faces right now. And I hope we are not like those people. That is exactly where Jeremiah finds himself in today’s first reading.
He says: “All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.” What a heartbreaking sentence. Jeremiah is not talking about strangers. He is talking about friends. People who know him. People who have eaten with him. People who have laughed with him. People who know his weaknesses and now waiting, watching, hoping, and praying for his downfall. They say, “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail.” They do not merely want Jeremiah to fail; they want to triumph over his failure. And that is one of life’s deepest wounds. Criticism from enemies hurts. But betrayal from friends cuts deeper. Because enemies attack from in front; friends attack from within. Jeremiah feels surrounded. The pressure is real. The fear is real. The betrayal is real.
Then comes one of the most important words in the entire reading: “But.” “But the Lord is with me like a mighty champion.” Let us ponder on that word. Everything changes after “but.” The “fake friends” are still there. BUT the Lord is with me. The betrayal is still there. BUT the Lord is with me. The whispers and gossips are still there. BUT the Lord is with me. Jeremiah’s confidence is not based on the absence of enemies and fake friends, but on the presence of God. Many of us spend our lives praying for a life without opposition. But God often gives us something greater: his presence in the midst of opposition.
And that brings us directly to today’s Gospel passage. First, the context: Jesus is speaking in Matthew chapter 10. He is preparing the Apostles for mission. He is sending them out into the world. You would expect a motivational speech. Instead, Jesus gives them a warning. People will reject you. People will misunderstand you. People will insult you. People will persecute you. He says: “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household.” That is, if they attacked Jesus, they will attack his followers. If they lied against Jesus, they will lie against his followers. If they rejected Jesus, they will reject his followers.
Then comes the powerful word again: “But.” It is not stated as directly as Jeremiah’s “but,” but it is present throughout the passage. People may oppose you, BUT fear no one. People may threaten you, BUT fear no one. People may speak against you, BUT fear no one. People may wish for your downfall, BUT fear no one. Three times Jesus says it: “Fear no one.” “Do not be afraid.” “Do not be afraid.” Why? Because Jesus knows that fear can accomplish what persecution cannot. Fear can silence a disciple before the enemy ever speaks. Fear can stop a dream before opposition ever arrives. Fear can make a Christian surrender before the battle even begins. And Jesus refuses to let fear have that power.
Jesus never promises the absence of enemies. Jeremiah had enemies. The Apostles had enemies. Jesus himself had enemies. The promise of Scripture is not that enemies will disappear. The promise is that God will remain. That is why Jeremiah says: “The Lord is with me like a mighty champion.” Not a distant observer. The battle is real. But so is the Champion.
My dearly beloved in Christ, maybe somebody has been talking about you. Maybe somebody wants you to fail. Maybe somebody has betrayed your trust. Maybe you are carrying wounds from criticism, rejection, or disappointment. Hear the Word of God today: “Do not be afraid.” Not because your enemies are weak. Not because your problems are small. Not because your future is guaranteed to be easy. But because the Lord is with you. The presence of God is greater than the manipulations of evil people. Divine approval is greater than human opinions. Divine plan is greater than all human plots.
Remember, the people waiting for Jeremiah’s downfall are forgotten today; Jeremiah is remembered. The people who condemned Jesus are forgotten by history; Jesus reigns forever. The people plotting against you are not writing your story; God is. So stop giving your enemies the role that belongs to God. Stop letting critics become prophets over your future. When God stands with you, betrayal cannot be the end of the story. Because every enemy’s sentence ends with a period or full stop, while God’s promise begins with a “BUT.” And whenever God says “BUT,” the entire future changes for your good.
Homily for 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2026
Add comment