Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Homily (June 21, 2026): Trusting God Through Every Trial
Readings and Virtual Homily for June 21, 2026, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mourning a Beloved Colleague; Summer Plans Post-London
Readings for Mass this Sunday:
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 69:8-10, 17, 33-35
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33
Dear Friends and Family,
A theme of basic trust runs through this week's readings. Trust, perhaps, especially when trusting is most difficult, when one finds oneself in circumstances of real distress.
Jeremiah knew plenty about circumstances of distress. He was mocked, derided, pursued and persecuted for his faithfulness in proclaiming the word as it came to him. He lived at the time of the fall of the southern kingdom to the Babylonians -- most of the news he had for the leaders of Israel (well, strictly speaking, the leaders of Judah, the southern kingdom) was bad news, even very bad news.
The verses in today's passage may be understood as well to foreshadow the sufferings of Christ. Like Jeremiah, Jesus too knew "the whisperings of many, terror on every side" (vs. 10). Jesus knew the desire of the religious leaders to "take or revenge on him" (vs. 10). Jesus also knew, as Jeremiah here asserts, that "...the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion; my persecutors will stumble, they will not prevail" (vs. 11).
Of course it seemed to the first century leaders that they had prevailed over Jesus, that they had exacted their deadly revenge. But as Jeremiah proclaims in today's passage, and we may see in this verse a foreshadowing of the Resurrection: "Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from evildoers" (vs. 13).
Psalm 69 is considered a prediction of the Passion of Christ. "For it is on your account," the psalmist writes, "that I bear insult, that disgrace covers my face" (vs. 8). The psalm goes on to describe affliction that lines up quite easily with the sufferings of Christ, right down to the psalmist's observation that "for my thirst they gave me gall" (vs. 22 and not included in today's passage).
But the psalm, too, turns a corner, finds a place of refuge, of peace and joy.
"See, you lowly ones and be glad;
you who seek God, take heart! For the Lord hears the poor
and does not spurn those in bondage.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him" (vss. 33-35).
Only related in a tangential way to this general theme of trust, the passage from Romans reminds us that as all of us fell through Adam, so redemption is available to all, through Jesus (vss. 12, 15). We may make a direct connection to the theme of trust in at least this respect -- whether in confession, during a homily or in a counseling session, I often point to a crucifix and say "that is how much we are loved...I think he has earned our trust." Paul assures us in today's second reading that God's love for us is superabundant, that it "overflows" for us in mercy, in saving grace (vs. 15).
In the Gospel passage Jesus assures the disciples that God has counted the hairs on their heads -- something it is getting easier and easier to do with me. God notices the fall of a sparrow from the sky, Jesus says. How much more so will the Lord provide for his chosen ones (vss. 29-31). This passage is connected to Matthew's description of the commissioning and initial sending forth of the apostles (last week's passage). Jesus is encouraging the twelve to abide in faith, that is, to abide in trust, that God will be with them.
It can really be hard, at times, to hang on to trust. To remember that whatever our circumstances, God, who is outside of time, sees us on the other side of them; knows not only that we will get through them, but knows how. It can really be hard sometimes, to "let go and let God," as our evangelical brothers and sisters like to say. Today's readings strongly encourage us to do just that.
Something that can challenge -- and summon -- our capacity for trust is the sudden, entirely unexpected loss of a loved one. I have experienced just this reality this past week in the death of a dear friend and colleague, Martha Zeyen, whom I know many of you also know. Martha suffered a massive stroke the week before last. She lingered a few days, but there was evidently never any hope of her coming through it.
Martha and I met my first summer as a priest in Pleasanton twenty years ago. She worked in Faith Formation at CCOP; children’s catechesis and sacramental formation. I took to Martha right away because of her keen intelligence, her wonderful wit and her rock-solid faith, a faith that knew how to summon trust in difficult circumstances.
I was witness to this ability on Martha's part several times. Life dealt her several serious curve balls over the past two decades. Martha always knew how to roll with the punch, get back up, dust herself off and move on to whatever came next. She sometimes would wryly ask if I had any clue what on earth God had in mind, as she certainly didn't, but Martha never doubted his love for her, his plan for her, however it might be revealed. She soldiered on with a faith and an indomitable joy that resonate with me this bright summer evening, as I think back on twenty years of friendship and ministry partnership with her.
For the past six years, Martha worked almost next-door to us here at St. Clement, at Assumption Parish in San Leandro. She was office manager, a position which called on her substantial administrative and organizational skills. The parish published a beautiful obituary, citing among other things, Martha's great popularity with the children at the school, and her twinkling and often self-effacing humor -- quoting one of her best original lines: "I need two chocolates; one for each hip to keep them in balance."
I'd seen Martha several times this past winter and spring -- at Assumption, at CCOP, at St. Clare Retreat Center in Soquel. She was looking forward to the quieter pace of the parish over the summer, making plans for various parish events, looking forward to her next trip to Disneyland (those of you who knew her know that she was one of the Magic Kingdom's most loyal and enthusiastic afficionados).
I've no doubt that Martha woke up on the other side of that stroke to open arms and a deeply smiling welcome from Our Lord himself: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world." (That is more or less a quote from the Parable of the Talents; Matthew 25.) Martha Zeyen was a woman of many talents. She generously and joyfully laid them at the service of the Lord.
Hard to grasp that I will not see her again, this side of Paradise. We were close enough in age so that this turn of events is a real, a deep shock to me. I'll say this, and I doubt Martha would argue: There is something to be said for dying with your boots on. Martha talked of retirement as being still another four or five years off -- and my guess is that, had she reached retirement, she would have been as busy as ever, one of those great dear "church ladies" who volunteer for everything and are revered by their fellow parishioners, and by the priests and staffs of their parish as well. Instead of which, Martha left Assumption as a treasured and vital member of its staff. She went out still tending the vineyard full time. She will be missed.
Pray for us, Martha. Thank you for your life of discipleship.
I got back from London early in the week and am happy to report zero jetlag. On balance that could be because I never quite got onto London time this trip; it was too short. It made no difference -- I was on vacation and slept 'til I was ready to get up each morning -- 930, 10, 1030. I may not have quite been on Greenwich Time, but I did just fine; felt rested throughout my stay.
I took the advance pages on my newest novel with me, and got some additional work done on it. And my hosts (David and Brenda Rose, whom I know some of you know from their long years in Pleasanton) dazzled me with several A-I generated covers for the book. It is -- kinda scary -- what ChatGPT and Google A-I can do. I am very likely to use one of these covers, when we are ready to bring the book into print.
With my only summer trip behind me, I am moving into summer work mode. There is more than just this new novel on my agenda. I am giving an eight-day silent retreat for the Franciscan sisters (and others, as well, including laywomen) at St. Clare, June 26-July 3. And there is still the matter of that nearly done new book that I had hoped to finish at Easter. Plus, just the regular parish summer routine. Had a major funeral this week; am prepping two young couples for marriage later this year; and with Fr. Jesus away much of next month, there will be no shortage of parish Masses this summer. All good. The parish is my anchor, my rock. Everything else gets done as well as it does largely because of the sheer grace I receive, being one of the priests here at St. Clement. It has been like this since my first summer here -- eleven years ago!
On a related note, the parish party for my twentieth anniversary is the afternoon of Sunday, July 26. I'll send more info next week.
Take care, God bless and happy Father's Day!
Love,
Fr. Brawn
A quick note on a change in the June schedule: I now have the eight AM Mass here at St. Clement this Sunday, Father's Day. I still have both the 11 at Elizabeth Seton (Pleasanton) and the 630 evening Mass here in Hayward as well.