Matthew 10:24-33

Matthew 10:24-33

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, what an awesome task you have entrusted me with! I am called to bring your Word to my family, friends, coworkers, and community. I know my limitations, and yet I trust in you and your grace. Empowered by your Spirit, I will be fearless as I proclaim your Word.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Human Dignity: In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes how we are loved and cared for by God the Father. All the hairs of our head are counted, all the cells in our body are known and sustained in existence by God. Jesus declares, “So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” What is the value of a human being? Can a price be put upon a human life? What Jesus teaches in the Gospel and what the Church teaches down through the ages is that a human being is priceless. As spiritual creatures, made in the image and likeness of God, we possess an “infinite dignity.” What does this mean? Briefly, it means that we are absolute goods who should not be used as a means for another end. A steer, for example, does not have infinite dignity. It is a good, but only relatively good. It can be bought, sold, and slaughtered for food. A steer can be used as a means to sustain human life. Human life, by contrast, is sacred, priceless, dignified, and an absolute good.

2. Respecting the Dignity of Others: If we see the value of a human being as infinite and absolute, it raises the question of how we are treating others. For example, if I own a business, how am I treating my customers? Do I treat them as means to another end, as people who have money that I want for myself? Or do I see myself as providing a service for them and helping them flourish as human beings and children of God? We should reflect not just on how we are able to do good for others and promote the dignity of others, but also on how our sins are offenses against human dignity. For example, when a person views pornography, they are attempting to use other people as objects. They are violating their dignity, their absolute worth, as human beings. A businessperson who charges unjust prices or pays unjust wages violates the dignity of their customers and employees. Sin, then, is not only an abuse of our freedom and a wounding of our human nature, but almost always wounds and offends the dignity, the absolute good, of our brothers and sisters.

3. Holy Humility and Fear of the Lord: The Gospel reminds us twice, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus teaches that we should not fear those who can harm the body, nor should we hide our faith out of concern for human approval. Instead, we are to live with a holy reverence for God, whose love sustains us and whose judgment alone is eternal. This theme lies at the heart of the Rule of Saint Benedict (A.D. 480-547). In chapter 7 of his Rule, on the twelve degrees of humility, Saint Benedict explains that the spiritual life begins with "the fear of God"—not a servile fear of punishment, but the loving awe of a child who desires above all to please his heavenly Father. As we grow in humility, our desire for human praise gradually gives way to a deeper desire to belong entirely to Christ. The twelve degrees are structured as a ladder to heaven: 1. Fear of God; 2. Self-Denial (love not your will, but the will of God); 3. Obedience; 4. Perseverance (patiently endure hardship); 5. Repentance (humbly confess your sins); 6. Serenity (be content with ordinary tasks); 7. Self-Abasement; 8. Prudence; 9. Silence (restraint in speech); 10. Dignity (avoiding foolish laughter); 11. Discretion (speaking gently); 12. Reverence (embody humility). Even amid ridicule, rejection, or persecution, we can confess Jesus before others with confidence, trusting that the One who knows every hair of our head will never abandon those who faithfully acknowledge him.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you can do all things. I hear your voice and the gentleness of your call. Grant me your grace and pour out your Spirit so that I may respond to you with generosity. Help me as I discern your will today.

Living the Word of God: What concrete changes do I need to make to more greatly respect the dignity and absolute worth of my brothers and sisters around me? How are my sins wounding the dignity of others? How are my good actions promoting their human dignity? What degree (or step) of humility (from Saint Benedict’s Rule) is God asking me to practice more fully?