Friday, July 8, 2016

Homily: Friday - 14th Week in OT - Fear of Speaking

There was a national survey which asked people about their greatest fears.  They listed Aviophobia, the fear of flying, Lygophobia, fear of the dark, acrophobia, fear of heights, arachnophobia, the fear of spiders.  I read recently, that zoos are starting to have special programs to help people face their fear of spiders, where you eventually become comfortable holding those disgusting eight legged creatures in your hand.  

Very high on the list was a fear that Jesus tells us to be free from in today’s Gospel, Glossophobia, fear of speaking.  High on many of these lists is always that same fear of public speaking, giving a speech or public presentation.

Psychologists say that this fear is connected with fear of the unknown, not knowing what’s going to happen when you step up to that podium, how people are going to react to your message. There’s a fear of making a mistake, being judged, not measuring up to people’s expectations. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that his servants will be called upon to give public witness to his Gospel. Not only public witness, we will be dragged before governor’s and kings.  And he tells us, that when it is time to witness to the Christian Gospel, we are not to worry about speaking, witnessing to these people.  Now many of us don’t like sharing our faith with our closest friends and family. However will we overcome this greatest of fears?

For one, sharing our faith, sharing the Gospel, speaking about our faith should be as natural as breathing.  We should become some practiced, so familiar with the Gospel, that sharing it is as customary as sharing our own name.  The Gospel, the tenets of our faith should be so internalized, as if the words are written in our hearts.

Also, we should be confident in the Gospel. St. Paul says in Romans: “I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe.”

Ease in sharing the Gospel comes from our confidence in its saving power.  Money can buy food, medicine can bring bodily health, but the Gospel brings eternal life.  So when we come before an unbeliever, their need for the Gospel is greater than a starving man needs food.  And we wouldn’t hesitate to feed the starving, so we shouldn’t hesitate in sharing the Gospel.

Jesus also mentions that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak. Through a life of prayer, meditation, contemplation, study of God’s work, putting on the mind and heart of Christ, performing the works of mercy, we grow in tune with God’s Spirit.  Sharing the Gospel, evangelization, is a fruit of being rooted in the soil of God’s word.  If we fear sharing the Word, return to the Word, read it, learn it, believe it, practice it.


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