From: Luke 12:1-7
Various Teachings of Jesus
[1] In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered to-
gether that they trod upon one another, He (Jesus) began to say to His disciples
first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [2] Nothing is
covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. [3] What-
ever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whis-
pered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
[4] “I tell you, My friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that, have
no more that they can do. [5] But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, af-
ter He has killed, has power to cast into Hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! [6] Are not
five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
[7] Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more
value than many sparrows.”
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Commentary:
3. Most Palestinian houses had a roof in the form of a terrace. There people
would meet to chat and while away the time in the hottest part of the day. Jesus
points out to His disciples that just as in these get-togethers things said in private
became matters of discussion, so too, despite the Pharisees’ and scribes’ efforts
to hide their vices and defects under the veil of hypocrisy, they would become a
matter of common knowledge.
6-7. Nothing — not even the most insignificant thing — escapes God, His Provi-
dence and the judgment He will mete out. For this same reason no one should
fear that any suffering or persecution he experiences in following Christ will re-
main unrewarded in eternity.
The teaching about fear, contained in verse 5, is filled out in verses 6 and 7,
where Jesus tells us that God is a good Father who watches over every one of
us — much more than He does over these little ones (whom He also remembers).
Therefore, our fear of God should not be servile (based on fear of punishment); it
should be a filial fear (the fear of someone who does not want to displease his
father), a fear nourished by trust in Divine Providence.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd
Readings at Mass
| First reading |
Romans 4:1-8 © |
What shall we say about Abraham, the ancestor from whom we are all descended? If Abraham was justified as a reward for doing something, he would really have had something to boast about, though not in God’s sight because scripture says: Abraham put his faith in God, and this faith was considered as justifying him. If a man has work to show, his wages are not considered as a favour but as his due; but when a man has nothing to show except faith in the one who justifies sinners, then his faith is considered as justifying him. And David says the same: a man is happy if God considers him righteous, irrespective of good deeds:
Happy those whose crimes are forgiven,
whose sins are blotted out;
happy the man whom the Lord considers sinless.
| Psalm |
| Psalm 31:1-2,5,11 © |
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Happy the man whose offence is forgiven,
whose sin is remitted.
O happy the man to whom the Lord
imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no guile.
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.
But now I have acknowledged my sins;
my guilt I did not hide.
I said: ‘I will confess
my offence to the Lord.’
And you, Lord, have forgiven
the guilt of my sin.
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord,
exult, you just!
O come, ring out your joy,
all you upright of heart.
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.
| Gospel Acclamation |
cf.Ps18:9 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words gladden the heart, O Lord,
they give light to the eyes.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
Alleluia!
The people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another. And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy. Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops.
‘To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.’