A Reflection for Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear. (Lk 12:4)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowd not to be afraid of those who can harm or kill the body. Possibly he mentioned this because people were being trampled to hear him speak. In retrospect, his comment is clear foreshadowing of his death and resurrection, and also the harm inflicted on early Christians such as Paul.
The first reading from the book of Ephesians was from Paul’s letter that he wrote while he was in a Roman prison. The temporally and temporarily powerful officials were trying to harm him, but they were unable to harm his soul. The Romans harmed his body, but today he is respected and has received his reward in heaven. The Romans’ authority has ended and been replaced by God’s. Paul is not the only one. Many of the saints’ bodies were harmed.
Through harmed bodies, God has accomplished miracles and much healing.
Through harmed bodies, God has accomplished miracles and much healing. Physical harm and death was a common part of saints’ martyrdom. Of all saints’ relics, first-class relics are the bone, blood or flesh of a saint. Miracles have been attributed to a saint’s intercession. The most notable example of God using a harmed body is of course Jesus’ scourged, flogged and crucified body in the Eucharist. Additionally, his wounds helped St. Thomas believe in his resurrection.
The damage to the body is of temporary importance because we hope our souls ascend to heaven. Today’s first reading also speaks to our hope and trust to go to heaven. The readings together (along with the responsorial psalm) focus on the inheritance that is in heaven.
You do not need to have a perfect body to preach the Gospel. What you need is to have hope in heaven, just as Paul, the saints and Jesus did.
