Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time A. June 19, 2005. Our Lady of Grace 7:30, 11:30, 6PM. Jeremiah 20:10-13. Romans 5:12-15. Matthew 10:26-33.
On August 9, 1943 a 37 year old Austrian farmer was taken from his Nazi prison in Berlin and marched in chains to a desk where his death sentence was read to him again. He was then pushed into an adjoining room where he was promptly beheaded by his executioner. His name was Franz Jagerstatter. Franz grew up in a small Austrian town and was well known as a wild young man. He was often involved in fights with other young people of his town and in his early twenties he fathered a child outside of marriage and was forced to leave home for awhile. All of this began to change when he married a very quiet and religious woman. Franz started to study and cherish his Catholic Faith. He was drafted into the Nazi Army in 1940 and at first he did not refuse to serve, although he told his wife that the Nazi uniform made him feel dirty. When he was recalled to duty in 1943, he refused to serve. He said that the Nazi war was one in which no Christian should serve. Franz’s pastor was a World War I hero who supported Franz’s refusal to serve in the Nazi army. Franz went to his bishop to ask for advice about serving in the Nazi army. His bishop told him to forget his objections and to do his duty and serve. For three years many people tried to change Franz’s mind on the Nazi war. A priest came to the prison and urged Franz to sign a paper saying he would serve in the Nazi army, but he refused to sign even to save his life. Later this priest said, “I feel with certainty that this simple man is the only saint that I have ever met in my lifetime.”
On the morning of his execution Franz wrote “My dearest, beloved wife and all my children…many actually believe quite simply that things have to be the way they are. If this should happen to mean that they are obliged to commit injustice then they believe that others are responsible… I am convinced that it is still best that I speak the truth even if it costs my life…these few words are being set down here as they come from my mind and heart. And if I must write them with my hands in chains, I find that much better than if my will were in chains.”
Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Pope John Paul lived through the horror of World War II in Poland. He tried with great diligence to call attention to saints and heroic people from that era. He canonized a Polish Franciscan priest, Maximillian Kolby, and a Jewish Carmelite nun, Edith Stein. Two or three others are on the path to canonization, among them Franz Jagerstatter. One of the great mysteries of World War II is that so many bishops, priests, Sisters and Catholic lay people remained silent in the midst of so much evil. Perhaps we all know why so many good people remained silent. It is very hard to stand out in a crowd and to speak the truth without the support of others. It is very difficult to speak the truth that other people do not want to hear. It is very difficult to challenge those in authority even when we believe that they are wrong after much careful study and prayer.
The prophet Jeremiah lived in a time of great political and social upheaval. He earned himself many enemies by insisting on high spiritual values and opposing kings, priests, false prophets and the bogus values of the people. He was a failure during his lifetime and yet he exerted great influence on the Jewish people after his death all the way up to the time of Jesus. The stance that Jeremiah took caused him much suffering. Open opposition to evil always does. Jeremiah said, “I hear the whisperings of many; ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped, then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him’.” Jeremiah recognized the only sure source of his security. He said, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion… Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked.”
We are followers of a crucified savior. Jesus lived the kingdom of God and when the values of the Kingdom were not acceptable to those around him, he died in public witness to God’s love and God’s truth. Living the values of the gospel has never been either popular or easy. We acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and God by showing courage in living the gospel in our daily lives. Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
In one of his last letters Franz Jagerstatter said, “Just as the man who thinks only of this world does everything possible to make life here easier and better, so must we, too, who believe in the eternal Kingdom, risk everything in order to receive a great reward there…Through prayer, we continually implore new grace from God, since without God’s help and grace it would be impossible for us to preserve the Faith and be true to His commandments…”
For the grace to be faithful witnesses to Jesus and the values of God’s Kingdom, no matter what it may cost us, we give God thanks and praise.