In the Gospel, Jesus repeats those words with remarkable insistence: “Do not be afraid”. (Matthew 10:26) He knows the fears that can trouble the human heart. He knows that every generation of believers will face moments of uncertainty, opposition, discouragement, and even the temptation to remain silent about their faith. Yet Jesus’ command is clear: do not be afraid.
The reason for this confidence is found in the words of the prophet Jeremiah. In the midst of hardship and opposition, Jeremiah proclaims: “The Lord is at my side, a mighty hero” (Jeremiah 20:11). He is not speaking from comfort or security. He is speaking from experience. He has known rejection and suffering, yet he has discovered that God remains faithful.
Therefore, he can say with confidence: “I have committed my cause” to the Lord (Jeremiah 20:12). These words invite us to ask ourselves a simple but profound question: upon whom do we rely? When challenges arise in our personal lives, in our families, in our communities, and in the life of the Church, where do we place our trust? Jeremiah reminds us that our strength does not come from ourselves alone. The Lord stands beside His people. The Lord remains the mighty hero who accompanies His Church in every age.
Saint Paul deepens this message in his Letter to the Romans. He reminds us that our relationship with God is founded not upon our own achievements but upon grace. Through Jesus Christ, we have received a gift beyond all measure. As Paul writes, “the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall” (Romans 5:15).
Human sin is real. Human weakness is real. Yet God’s mercy is greater. The saving work of Jesus Christ is more powerful than the brokenness of the world. This is a message of immense hope for our times. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the difficulties we see around us. We encounter division, loneliness, uncertainty, and a growing indifference to faith. Yet Saint Paul reminds us that the final word belongs not to sin, not to fear, not to despair, but to grace.
The abundant free gift of Jesus Christ continues to be offered to humanity. The Church therefore cannot be a community defined by anxiety or retreat. We are called to be a people of hope. We are called to bear witness to the victory of Christ with confidence, humility, and joy.
My brothers and sisters, Jesus places before us a challenge in today’s Gospel. He says: “If anyone declares themselves in the presence of men, I will declare myself for them in the presence of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).
Faith is personal, but it is never private. The disciple is called to bear witness. In every age, we Christians must decide whether we will merely believe in Jesus Christ inwardly or whether we will also witness to Him publicly through our words, our choices, and our way of life. Our society does not need Christians who are angry or fearful. It needs Christians who are convinced. It needs disciples whose lives reveal the peace, mercy, and truth of Jesus Christ.
Just a few days ago, speaking to the Spanish Parliament, Pope Leo XIV reminded us of the mission of the Church in the modern world. He said that the Church “walks alongside humanity”, sharing “its hopes and its wounds”, listening to the questions of every age and allowing herself to be challenged by “everything concerning the lives of contemporary men and women” (Address to the Spanish Parliament, 8 June 2026).
The Holy Father went on to explain that the Church offers her reflection in public life from a desire “to serve the common good and to recall what makes human coexistence truly human” (cf. Magnifica Humanitas, 18, 19, 22). These words help us understand our own mission as the local Church of Broken Bay gathered in our cathedral today.
We are not called to stand apart from society. We are called to walk alongside our brothers and sisters. We are called to bring the light of the Gospel into the realities of daily life. We are called to accompany families, young people, the elderly, the poor, the lonely, and those searching for meaning. We are called to proclaim Christ not from a distance, but from within the life of our community.
This mission belongs to all of us. It belongs to bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful alike. Every baptised person has received a share in the mission of Christ. Every one of us has a role to play in building up the Kingdom of God in this time and place.
Yet we must be honest. The mission before us is demanding. The proclamation of the Gospel in contemporary Australia requires courage. It requires wisdom. It requires love. We need courage so that we will not be afraid to witness to Christ. We need wisdom so that we may speak the truth with clarity and discernment. We need love so that everything we do may reflect the heart of Jesus Christ. These are not merely human qualities. They are gifts of God. They are gifts that must be sought in prayer.
Therefore, I wish to offer a particular invitation and challenge to our diocesan family today. Let us become a Church that prays more intentionally for the gifts necessary for our mission. Let our clergy pray daily for wisdom, strength, and pastoral charity. Let our parish communities pray for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let families pray together for the courage to live the Gospel. Let our young people pray for the generosity to follow wherever Christ may call them. The future of the Church will not be secured by human plans alone. It will be secured by faithful disciples who trust that the Lord is at their side, who believe in the abundance of His grace, and who are willing to declare their faith before the world.
My dear people, the Lord who called Jeremiah continues to call His Church. The Christ who strengthened the Apostles continues to strengthen us. The Holy Spirit who guided the saints continues to guide His people today.
Therefore, let us not be afraid. Let us commit our cause to the Lord. Let us receive with gratitude the abundant gift of Christ. And let us embrace with joy and conviction the mission entrusted to us, confident that the Lord remains at our side, a mighty hero, now and for ages unending. Amen.
