Soul Killers

Jesus said to the Twelve: “Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And 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. 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.” (Matthew 10:26-33)

“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”  I take Jesus to mean that he speaks to us when we are down and depressed – when we feel like life is hard and even too burdensome.  He says to listen to him and then live well and enlightened by telling others of what he asks of us: to love and to forgive – to not lose hope and to live in the light.  Get out of darkness and “proclaim on the housetops what we hear him whisper.”

“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.”  I take Jesus to mean that we always must confront “soul-killers and liars.”  These are the ones who instill fear; they promote division and giving the devil his due.  They try to make us soulless and tempt us to cast aside our Catholic-formed consciences – to be immoral.  In this case, Jesus says to “be afraid” of them.  They kill body and soul.

We are all to be soul healers – not killers.  We are to shine our lights on others and cast fear and hatemongers into Gehenna. 

Deacon David Pierce