12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (2023)

Mass Readings for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

• First Reading –Jeremiah 20:10-13: “All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.”
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 69: “Lord, in your great love, answer me.”
• Second Reading – Romans 5:12-15: “For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.”
• Gospel – Matthew 10:26-33: “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.”

Themes for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

The readings for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A are a call to trust in God. Although our circumstances can be unsettling or frightening, God is always caring for us. The first reading Jeremiah trusts in the Lord even though he is being plotted against. The psalm expresses hope that God will hear our prayers in times of distress. The second reading reminds us that Jesus rescued us even though we are sinners. And in the gospel,Jesus tells us “Fear no one” and that we are loved and cared for by God.

• Bravery
• Trust
• Hope

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

Patient Trust Prayer of Teilhard de Chardin

This prayer is about waiting patiently for God. It is especially good for high school students and young adults who are discerning a vocation or possible career. We can be impatient about wanting an answer from God during the discernment process and this prayer is a good way to help trust that God will eventually show us where we are supposed to head.

Fearful Finds Relay

In this game, players put their hands in a box of unknown substance to find coins. It is a test of if they can overcome their fear of what they might be touching. Be prepared for some funny reactions!

What Are You Afraid Of? – Discussion and Reflection Questions

This reflection encourages youth to consider how faith in Jesus brings peace during the storms of life.

Spread the Good News without Fear

Jeff Cavins discusses lessons we can learn from the readings for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, including why we should not fear spreading the gospel in even the darkest of places.

Take Courage!

It’s easy to think of courage as something we only need when facing our greatest fears, but in this video Fr. Mike explains how courage is necessary to live out every virtue. He shows how cowardice can seem harmless in the ways it sneaks into our thoughts, and shares words from great saints who commissioned the faithful to practice fortitude in our everyday lives.

Prioritizing Our Fears

From Bishop Robert Barron. No matter who is threatening you, who is thundering denunciation, who is coming at you with furious intensity: don’t be afraid! Why? Because in Jesus Christ, you are connected to the very power of God, to that which is here and now creating the universe.

Be Not Afraid

From Scott Hahn.

Our commitment to Christ will be put to the test. We will hear whispered warnings and denunciations, as Jeremiah does in today’s First Reading. Even so-called friends will try to trap us and trip us up.

Carrying the Word of God

Also from Bishop Barron. Along with Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah, Jeremiah is one of the so-called major prophets of Israel. This means not only that he was a great and influential figure but also that he wrote (or at least inspired) a book of some weight and importance. What was the theme of Jeremiah’s preaching and prophesying? It was terrible—which is one reason why he was known as “terror on every side.”

But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.

Jeremiah 20:11