The cost of discipleship in mission.

Introduction:  In today’s Gospel we hear from the 10th chapter of

Matthew, his mission discourse.  In the course of this discourse he has

been sending the apostles to continue his mission, but also telling them

they will experience rejection as he did.  

    In the first reading we hear from Jeremiah on his living of the

mission he received from God.

     Homily:   The book of the prophet Jeremiah is a long one and a bit

difficult to follow.  It is comprised of some biographical material

about Jeremiah but also puts together his preaching and oracles.  When

Jeremiah was called he was a reluctant prophet.  He protested that he

was too young.  But he did accept this mission.  When he preached he

called for the people to turn from the false gods and return to Yahweh. 

He didn’t experience a pleasant reception.  People threw him down a

well, put him in prison, in stocks, mocked and derided him.  He told God

that he wished he had never been born.  He wanted to give up his

preaching mission but said that once he decided this he felt a burning

in his bones that he could not resist.  He did arrive at a point of

today’s gospel when he retained confidence in God despite opposition.

Jeremiah is a man of powerful emotions and poetic expressions.

    In the Gospel Jesus tells us not to be afraid.  He states that the

Gospel will triumph.  He tells us not to be afraid of those who can kill

the body but not the soul.  He has concern for the sparrows who are sold 

very cheaply.  Not even one of them falls to the ground without God

knowing of it.  We are worth more than a whole flock of sparrows.  He

also tells us that our hairs are numbered.  We should not be afraid but

then he tells us words that can make us afraid.  If we acknowledge him

he will acknowledge us before the Father, if we deny him, he will deny

us before the Father.  He is a God of love and mercy but also of

justice.

    During this month of the Sacred Heart we can understand Jesus under

the title of the Sacred Heart.  The founder of the Priests of the 

Sacred Heart (SCJs) Fatheer Dehon invites us to

not just look at the pierced heart of Jesus, but to enter into it.

    Have we ever suffered for living out the gospel or Jesus values?  I

remember turning down an offer of a membership in a country club in

Mississippi .  This country club  would not admit black people.  I remember