June 21, 2026
12th Sunday
Ordinary Time
FOCUS: The Gospel calls us to acknowledge Christ without fear.
The Gospel calls us to acknowledge Christ without fear. It might seem that there is good reason to be afraid, but God is on our side as a mighty champion. Protected by his almighty power, we have no cause for fear. His providence covers all things, from the little birds we hear about in today’s Gospel to the grand sweep of salvation history outlined in the second reading.
What's in Your Heart
"Put on your cloak and follow me,” the angel said to Saint Peter. Peter, the rock, was in chains—but freed!
“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith”: inspirational words from Saint Paul.
-
Who is your rock in life, your foundation?
-
Who inspires you?
Jesus is your protection, your strength, your guide. Build his church.
Homily Stories
My daughter has a difficult time with transitions. Chalk it up to Down syndrome, obsessive-compulsiveness, or just being a teenager. Whatever the reason, when it comes to doing something she doesn’t want to do—wake up in the morning, get on the bus, ask a teacher a question, give a speech—she freezes up and refuses to move.
She becomes consumed by her fears. She goes to extreme lengths to protect her comfort zone, but in the end makes herself even more uncomfortable. When her fears take control, she will sit in a two-foot snow bank or curl up on a cold tile floor rather than face the object of her anxiety.
Teachers, family, friends, and total strangers have all tried their hand at coaxing and cajoling her out of her “dead zone” with varying degrees of success.
Although we have yet to discover a magic bullet to solve the problem, over the years, we have helped her to stop her negative thinking before it completely incapacitates her. We remind her of all that positive things that come with good transitions. She will now look at me or a teacher and say, “Help me.” That is progress. She doesn’t want her fears to get the best of her, but she still struggles to see the path forward.
We all do. Take a page from my daughter’s playbook: Ask for help to see the light through the darkness.
