Reading St Matthew 10:26-31
“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Reflection
“What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light” – Jesus’ words are both commission and permission. This call to purposeful authenticity and personal discipleship sits at the heart of faith’s journey, and the common vocation of Christians. Within this, the Ministry of Word and Sacraments has offered me a remarkable freedom: the privilege of pursuing the kingdom while simultaneously becoming most authentically myself.
We are always in the process of becoming. Faith, and the vocation to live it individually and in community, is not a static destination but a dynamic unfolding. As I engage with faith, Scripture, and the lived experience of ministry, I am made and re-made. The call I hear feels different as I change – not because God has changed, but (hopefully) because I have grown into deeper authenticity.
Jesus’ command to proclaim from the housetops what we hear whispered speaks to the heart of authentic ministry. Authenticity, as Kierkegaard knew, requires courage – the courage to speak our truth even when our voice trembles.
The sparrows remind us that in God’s economy, every step of authentic kingdom witness, every becoming matters. Every hair is counted, every act – even the secret ones – acknowledged. Ministry offers the extraordinary opportunity to pursue self-actualisation not as selfish individualism but as sacred vocation. We are freed to explore the depths of our own being-in-relation to God and others and in that finding an exploration that serves the kingdom.
Mary Oliver’s question resonates ‘What will you do with your one wild and precious life?’ Ministry of Word and Sacraments is one way to answer that question with our whole selves – mind, body, spirit. It is freedom to become, to speak what we know in our depths, to live congruently between inner conviction and outward action.
We are of more value than many sparrows. Your life, however you live it out, matters to God and to God’s kingdom.
Prayer
Creating God,
you call us into becoming,
trusting us with our one wild and precious life.
Grant us courage to speak our truth,
wisdom to grow through all our years,
and freedom to serve your kingdom
while becoming most authentically ourselves.
May our lives proclaim your liberating love.
Amen