Sparrows - 12th Sunday in OT (A)

You are worth more than many sparrows.

So there are many apps for your phone out there. Some interesting and productive; others not at all. Recently, I was introduced to Merlin. Merlin is an app that can identify a bird just by its song. Now, I'm not a bird guy (I've actually always thought that bird watchers were a little eccentric, forgive me), but I did find it fascinating that there was an app that could identify birds just by their song.

So I downloaded Merlin one evening and sat on my back patio with a beveragee and gave it a shot. Sure enough, it worked. And I was blown away by the number of birds just in my back yard: I've heard cardinals, house finches, mockingbirds, hawks, and sparrows -- lots of sparrows.

Since downloading the app, I have unconsciously trained my ear to hear the songs of birds and now I can identify several without using the app. And the bird that I hear the most of: sparrows. There are so, so many house sparrows around here. And at gas stations. I've noticed they like gas stations. (Hmm, I appear to have become eccentric).

Here's the thing: if one of those sparrows would die, I wouldn't notice. There are too many of them. Yet, Jesus says, "Not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge" (Mt 10:29). That's amazing to me, that God knows every sparrow -- and He knows them because each and every one of them is important to Him. He created each one.

Jesus then says: "You are worth more than many sparrows" (Mt 10:31). That is to say, if the heavenly Father should notice just one sparrow's death, and you are worth more than many sparrows, how much more will he notice you -- how terribly important you are to Him."

"Even all the hairs of your head have been counted" (Mt 10:30).

He knows what happened in the depths of the Atlantic this week. He knew each and every one of those men. Each one was terribly important to Him. He even know each and every hair on their head. And he knows yours. Each and every one.

My mind struggles to fathom this. But as I try to, I find a deep consolation. I am important to the Father.

***

In between all of these lines is a little phrase. Jesus says, "So do not be afraid" (Mt 10:30-31). Why does He say this?

Two reasons: because the world is dangerous; death can come at a moment's notice and at times seem arbitrary; things can look absurd, flimsy, meaningless. And because of all of that, we can easily become anxious and afraid. So, Jesus reassures us: Your life is not meaningless; and when you die (and we all will), it will be noticed by the Father.

A second reason why Jesus tells us not to be afraid: well, because when we think that our life or death is meaningless, when we think we are just another sparrow among a flock of sparrows, it is easy to just remain there. When I think my song is unimportant or unheard, I easily stop singing. Or, to flip the coin over, when everyone else is silent, I too can easily remain silent.

The low-hanging-fruit example is when it comes to witnessing to the faith. So, so many people are quiet when it comes to speaking about the faith. That Jesus is real. That He died and rose. That He founded the Catholic Church. That the Church, despite her warts and all, is still the treasure house of objective Truth and grace. That her voice is the voice of Jesus. And He speaks tenderly but firmly about things like how your must forgive if you want to be forgiven; you must repent of sin; the Eucharist is the greatest gift; marriage is between one man and one woman only; God only made two sexes, male and female; each is made in His image and therefore has inviolable dignity and cannot be willy-nilly destroyed as in euthanasia and abortion....

There are clearly more sparrows than blue jays out in this world. And the sparrows need to speak up a little more. And by sparrows, I mean you. And me.

And I know: we can be afraid. I'm afraid that if I speak the truth in clarity, will I be seen as unloving. Truth can be spoken in firmness and kindness; that is Love. Love wills the good of another. I want people to be free of the slavery which our social ills are causing. I speak, truly, from compassion.

Can I tell you something I have realized? 

I can be as gentle and compassionate as Jesus, but when it comes to speaking hard truths, many will not listen, just like many didn't listen to the gentle and compassionate Jesus.

And that is irksome to me. I believe that my sparrow-song is important. And gentle.

But to the world, I am just a sparrow. And annoying.

But my Father notices. And He loves hearing the song He has placed in my mouth. So I will not be afraid. I will keep on singing....

You are worth more than many sparrows.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.