12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 21, 2026
When doing what God calls you to do, do not be afraid.
Matthew 10:26-33
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."
REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL
Some Thoughts on Today’s Scripture
“Even the hairs on your head are counted.” A lovely illustration of God’s love for me personally. Let me respond to the love expressed here. Spend a few moments contemplating this image.
Will I get a chance to acknowledge Jesus before others today?. Perhaps through a kind act if I cannot find the words.
Jesus reminds me that I do not have to have all the answers or convince everyone. In God’s time, not mine, all will be made clear.
But Jesus mentions fear five times here: does fear sometimes make me betray the truth? Perhaps I may know what to do in a situation but I do nothing for fear of the reactions of others. I ask to believe that God knows me fully and values me limitlessly, so I need not fear.
Jesus reminds me that I do not have to answer everything or convince everyone. In God’s time all will be known.
I give thanks to God for what I have learnt in my prayer. I pray for the courage I need to let my experience of God be evident in my life.
I resist being distracted by the value of sparrows or the quality of my hair and pray that I may receive deeply Jesus appreciation and love of me.
First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP
You can sense the background to today’s selection from Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage, Jesus tells his disciples three times, “Do not be afraid.” The early Church must have been a community that knew fear well. Jesus is preparing his followers for rejection, misunderstanding, and hardship because of their faith. Following him will not always make life easier. So, he tells them, “Fear no one.” He reminds them that they are never abandoned by God. Most of us know fear in one form or another. We worry about our families, our health, our future, and the divisions in our world and Church. Some of us carry quiet fears that others never see loneliness, failure, grief, or uncertainty about what lies ahead. Fear can shrink our hearts and tempt us to live cautiously, protecting ourselves rather than trusting God. It can also cause disciples to withdraw into closed communities, contrary to Jesus’ command to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Fear can place limits on that mission. Jesus assures us that we are held in God’s care and do not need to let fear rule us. Christian courage is not the absence of fear; it is the decision to trust God in the midst of fear. I remember the stories the Sisters used to read to us about the early martyrs. They seemed like superhuman examples of courage. Yet those martyrs were human beings like us. They were not fearless people, but people who believed that God’s love was stronger than whatever threatened them. The Gospel challenges us to ask what fears keep us from living our faith more openly. Sometimes we remain silent when we should speak a word of kindness or truth. Sometimes we hesitate to forgive, to serve, or to stand with those who are suffering because we fear criticism or discomfort. Jesus calls us to live with confidence, knowing that our lives rest in the hands of a faithful God. The courage ordinary Christians need today is often quiet and steady rather than dramatic. Most believers will not face prison or martyrdom, but they do face pressures that test their faith every day. It takes courage to remain honest in a dishonest environment, to forgive when resentment feels easier, to defend the dignity of the poor and forgotten, to remain faithful in marriage and family life, and to continue praying when God seems silent. Christians also need the courage not to be ashamed of their faith. In many places, believers are tempted to keep religion private, avoiding any mention of hope, mercy, justice, or the Gospel for fear of criticism or rejection. Jesus’ words, “Do not be afraid,” are spoken precisely for moments like these. He reminds us that we belong to God and are precious in God’s sight. Can we trust God where we are? The Gospel says yes—not because life is easy, but because God does not abandon us in the middle of it. God is present in hospitals, prisons, schools, workplaces, broken homes, lonely apartments, and uncertain futures. Trust does not mean that we understand everything. It means that we believe that even when we feel weak, forgotten, or afraid, God still holds us in loving hands. Many ordinary Christians carry hidden burdens: caring for aging parents, struggling financially, grieving losses, worrying about children, facing illness, or trying to hold on to faith in a divided world. The courage Christ asks of us is to keep walking with him through all of it. Sometimes the greatest act of faith is simply getting up each day and believing that God is still with us. Jesus points to the sparrows and reminds us that not one of them is forgotten by God. Then he says, “You are worth more than many sparrows.” That is the foundation of Christian courage: not confidence in ourselves, but confidence that we are known, loved, and accompanied by God every step of the way. In summary, the Gospel for this Sunday tells us not to be afraid. Jesus knows that his disciples will face opposition, misunderstanding, and even rejection. Courage is not something needed only by martyrs and saints of long ago. Ordinary Christians need courage every day: courage to forgive, to speak honestly, to remain faithful in difficult marriages and families, to defend the vulnerable, to resist dishonesty at work, and to continue believing when prayers seem unanswered. The reading from the prophet Jeremiah (20:10–13) shows us what that courage feels like from the inside. Jeremiah is not fearless. He hears the whispering around him: “Denounce him!” Even his friends are watching for him to fail. He feels isolated and threatened. Many Christians know something of that experience. A young person may feel pressure for living differently from the crowd. A worker may face ridicule for acting with integrity. A believer may feel alone in a culture that often treats faith as irrelevant or naïve. Yet Jeremiah does not end in despair. He says, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.” That is the heart of Christian courage. Courage is not pretending that we are strong enough by ourselves. Courage comes from trusting that God stands beside us in our weakness and uncertainty. Jesus says in the Gospel that even the sparrows are known by God and that “you are worth more than many sparrows.” God’s care is personal and constant. The courage Christians need today grows from this trust: God sees us, knows our struggles, and does not abandon us. Sometimes courage means taking a public stand for justice or truth. More often, it means quiet perseverance: continuing to love when it is costly, continuing to pray when faith feels dry, and continuing to hope when the world seems cynical. Jeremiah teaches us that faithful people can feel afraid and discouraged and still trust God. Our world often admires power, success, and self-sufficiency. But Christian courage looks different. It is the courage to remain compassionate in a harsh world, truthful in a dishonest world, hopeful in a despairing world, and faithful in a distracted world. Today Jeremiah’s words become our prayer as well: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor.” The believer’s courage finally rests not in human strength, but in confidence that God remains faithful through every trial.
Quotable
One of the most frequently cited Christian calls to courage comes from Pope John Paul II at the beginning of his pontificate “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.”
Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
“But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.”—Jeremiah 20:11
I find it interesting that today’s readings fall on Father’s Day. The readings speak to not being afraid. From Jeremiah remembering that God is on his side despite the opposition he faces; the psalmist feeling like an outcast because of following the Lord who does not reject the abandoned; to the disciples whom Jesus has instructed to not be afraid. I think of my Dad (and actually, both my parents) who fearlessly lived through the Great Depression and World War II. They were always great examples for me of steady perseverance in the face of the obstacles they faced together during their lives. Not living in fear is both a mindset and a spiritual strength. As Christians, we can look to the lives of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the disciples, to model the ways to live or become fearless. The challenges we face today often bring fear of the unknown and how we handle them is a testament to those who have inspired and inspirited us. We, in turn, become a testament for others. I came across the following sweet poem, anonymous in authorship, that I have adapted for its timeless message.
Our Lord and Lady keep a garden.
A garden of the heart;
Where planted are all the good things,
That give our lives their start.
They turn us to the sunshine,
And encourage us to dream:
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rain come,
They protect us enough;
But not too much because they know
We would stand up strong and tough.
Their constant example
Always teach us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway that will last
a lifetime long.
The next time life becomes fear-filled, fear not.
We are our Lord and Lady’s garden,
We are their legacy of heart.
Faith Book
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.
From today’s Gospel reading: 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.
Reflection: Jesus knows that fear can keep us silent about our faith. He reassures us that we are precious in God's eyes – worth far more than many sparrows. Because we are loved and valued by God, we can face life's challenges with confidence. When we acknowledge Christ in our words and actions, we witness to the One who never stops claiming us as his own.
So, we ask ourselves:
What fears keep me from openly living or speaking about my faith?
Do I truly believe that I am precious and loved by God, even in my weaknesses?
How can I acknowledge Christ today through my actions, words, or choices?
Thinking Small and Big by Daniel J. Harrington
As New Testament Christians we hope for right relationship with God,eternal life with God and the full coming of God’s kingdom. The ground of our hope is Jesus, especially as the risen one. Nevertheless, in our everyday lives we sometimes may lose hope, perhaps not about ultimate realities but about our health and safety, about loved ones, about the future and so on. There is much to be afraid of in our world. Today’s Scripture readings can help us sustain our hope by thinking on both a small and a large scale. Sparrows, small birds that congregate in groups and make nests, were very common in the Holy Land in Jesus’ time. Some people trapped and sold them. They were very cheap, but so small they yielded very little meat. Nevertheless, poor people bought sparrows to eat and also to offer as sacrifices at the temple. The point of Jesus’ saying about sparrows is that these birds were among the most insignificant creatures that people in Jesus’ time and place could imagine. Today’s selection from Matthew 10 comes from near the end of Jesus’ instruction to his disciples as he sends them forth to carry on his mission of preaching and healing. He was asking them to live simply and to expect opposition and rejection. Jesus holds up the image of the sparrow to reinforce the disciples’ trust and hope in God. After warning the apostles about the dangers facing them, Jesus reminds them that his loving Father, who exercises care for insignificant creatures like sparrows so that not one of them drops to the ground without God’s knowledge, will surely care for them (and us). We are worth more than sparrows, and so we can trust God to love us and care for us. In this way the tiny sparrow becomes an image of hope. When we become confused, frustrated and fearful, we may find clarity and hope in this image: if God cares for sparrows, how much more does God care for us and want what is good for us. If Jesus’ image of the sparrow can help us to think small, then Paul’s meditation on Adam and Christ in Romans 5 can help us to think big enough to place our hopes and fears in the broad framework of salvation history. Paul uses Adam as an image of fallen humankind, enslaved under the dominion of sin and death. He holds up Christ not only as the symbol of redeemed humankind but also as the one through whom we have been freed from sin and death and freed for life in the Spirit. Paul emphasizes that the gift of freedom given to us through Christ far surpasses Adam’s transgression. As humans we all carry within us the figures of both Adam and Christ. While it is often easier to see Adam around us and in us in our everyday lives, the challenge of Christian life is to let the risen Christ shape our very self and let his life be our life. To do so, we need to think both small and big.
Praying with Scripture
• What frightens you most and causes you to lose hope at times?
• Do you have a special image (like the sparrow) that restores your confidence and hope?
• Where do you find Adam and where do you find Christ in your life and in the world around you?.
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., is professor of New Testament at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (formerly Weston Jesuit School of Theology) in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Leader: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)
OPENING PRAYER
Jesus, when I get a chance to acknowledge you before others today, help me to trust I am doing your will. Give me the strength and the courage to believe in myself and in my value to you and to live my life with honesty and with compassion for others. Help me to do your work I your world.
COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY
From “First Impressions”, A service of the Southern Dominican Province:
Matthew’s community must have been going through an experience similar to Jeremiah’s in the first reading —living and speaking about their faith were causing pain and fear among them. Like Jeremiah in the first reading, they may have even been quite vocal in their bewilderment and disappointment because things weren’t turning out the way they had hoped. Otherwise, Matthew would never have recorded these frank and consoling words of Jesus. Jesus is reminding his followers that because of him, they will suffer persecution. The saying about the sparrows has ominous tones: God knows when even a minuscule sparrow “falls to the ground.” There is a hint here of the disciples themselves having to face even death (“fall to the ground”) as Jesus’ followers. I don’t know if I have to fear being killed or imprisoned for my faith; but living that faith does have its costs and may even cause pain, or at least daily sacrifice and inconvenience. They are not to be afraid because of the small, seeming insignificance of their project in the light of the world powers around them. Now---the good news is “concealed” and “secret,” known by only a few. Now--- Jesus speaks in “darkness” and his message is “whispered” to them. But someday all will be “revealed” and “known.” In our modern world of high speed internet access, million-dollar television commercials and “gliterrati,” living out our faith in Christ can make us feel out-shouted, overridden and insignificant. Judging from the more dominant voices and forces around us, our Christian approach to life can seem diminutive and without influence as the world makes decisions that affect the destinies of present and future populations and of the planet itself. Jesus promises his message will be “proclaimed on the housetops.” How? Some people in our history have been very forthright proclaimers, they have been like people standing on roof tops for all to see and hear. But most of us are afraid of such heights and our call might be less spectacular, but still requiring courage. I read this Brazilian proverb recently, “Your head thinks form the spot you plant your feet.” We have planted our feet with Christ and he invites our heads to think and our hearts to feel from that spot. We must, if we are standing with Christ, acknowledge him by lives and words that are recognizable as having him as their source. Jesus predicts a sign by which we will know we are being faithful to him---when we are standing on his side of honesty, concern, forgiveness, trust, community, etc----we will stir up opposition. His message will stir up strife. He is aware that, just as he found resistance to his teaching, so will his followers. So he tells them, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body...,” for they have power, but only over the body. God’s power is more sweeping and total, in fact, Jesus says, God “...can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” But the disciple is not to fear, because God cares about each of us and every part of us, right down to the hairs on our heads. If birds fall under God’s care, how much more do we? This reminder about God’s care for us isn’t a guarantee we will have an easy ride as God’s servants. Jeremiah has already voiced the feelings of abandonment, disappointment and dismay one might feel in the face of the rejection God’s witnesses often experience. Jesus uses the example of sparrows falling and dying and God’s concern for them, to reassure us that in the face of trials and even death, God will care for us. Jesus is not going to leave us alone, however, he will not exempt himself from our struggles. He says he will “acknowledge” us before God. This image suggests he stands with us and claims us as one of his own. When the going gets tough, he is right in the thick of things with us. Last week Jesus once again called us and sent us out. If we have reflected on our lives this past week, we know being sent into the world to live our beliefs in Christ is “easier said than done.” It’s a rough world out there for those who want to practice their faith. We come back here this Sunday for a breather from some harsh realities; but also to be refueled so we can do what we know Jesus would have us do.
LIVING THE GOOD NEWS
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today's reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow.
Reflection Questions:
What part does fear play in the actions of the world, say, in economics, in political decisions, in war, in individual defensive behaviors?
Have I ever taken on a worthwhile project only to discover that I have bitten off much more than I could chew?
What did I do?
What frightens me most and causes me to lose hope at times?
Do I have a special image (like the sparrow) that restores my confidence and hope?
Where do I find Christ in my life and in the world around me?
“Jesus did not call us to be successful, He called us to be faithful.” (St. Teresa of Calcutta) Do I agree?
Have I ever at any time allowed fear of someone or something to control me so that I was unable to speak the truth?
How did I feel?
Have I ever been intimidated by peer pressure so that I did something I did not want to do or failed to do something I thought I should do?
Have Iever had an opportunity to acknowledge to Jesus before others?
How did it turn out for me?
I think of a time when I was anxious about an event and it turned out fine.
Can I remember that I do not have to have an answer for everything in the world that is difficult or confusing?
Can I trust in God and let God take care of the things that I cannot?
CLOSING PRAYER
Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for. I give thanks to you, Lord, for what I have learned about myself and about you in my prayer this week. I pray also for the courage I need to let my experience of you, Jesus, be evident in my life. Help me to turn fear into resolution, turn despair and hopelessness into joy.
FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Weekly Memorization: (Taken from the gospel for today's session) Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Meditations:
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: Let us explore the notion of fear and the power of fear. There was a very popular TV show called Monk, that explored the adventures of an obsessive-compulsive genius detective who had at least 38 documented phobias. On the show’s website a tongue-in-cheek dictionary of phobias was provided. Among the phobias listed were some creative entries:
Altophobia: Fear of heights.
Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Ballistophobia: Fear of missiles or bullets.
Ecclesiophobia: Fear of church
Frigophobia: Fear of cold
Gamophobia: Fear of marriage
Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak
Homilophobia: Fear of sermons
Obesophobia: Fear of gaining weight
Peladophobia: Fear of bald people
Phalacrophobia: Fear of becoming bald
Phasmophobia: Fear of ghosts
Testophobia: Fear of taking tests
We all have fears. Many things we fear for no reason. Some things we don’t fear that we should. In this Gospel Jesus describes the proper locus, or place, of fear. What is it? What things do I fear that I should not, and what things do I not fear that I should?
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship: Julian of Norwich was a medieval mystic who had revelations from Jesus she called "Showings", and which are considered some of the classic writings of Western Spirituality. This is taken from one of her “Showings”: And these words: “You will not be overcome”, were said very insistently and strongly, for certainty and strength against every tribulation which may come. He did not say: “You will not be troubled, you will not be belabored, you will not be disquieted”; but he said: “You will not be overcome”. God wants us to pay attention to these words, and always to be strong in faithful trust, in well-being and in woe, for he loves us and delights in us, and so he wishes us to love him and delight in him and trust greatly in him, and all will be well. (Julian of Norwich, Showings, p.315). It is easy to trust God when things are going reasonably well. Trust in God, and especially hope in God, are harder to come by in times of stress or sorrow. Think of something that is worrying you right now, and try to read over these words of Julian, praying for a greater faith and hope in the God who loves us so much.
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination: Psalm 69 (from 12 Sunday A)
1) Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2) I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
3) I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
4) Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.
5) You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from you.
6) Lord, the Lord Almighty, may those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me; God of Israel, may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me.
7) For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face.
8) I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother’s children;
9) for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
10) When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;
11) when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.
12) Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.
13) But I pray to you, Lord in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
14) Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
15) Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.
16) Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love in your great mercy turn to me.
17) Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18) Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.
19) You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.
20) Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.
21) They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
22) May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and[b] a trap.
23) May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.
24) Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.
25) May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
26) For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
27) Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.
28) May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.
29) But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me.
30) I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31) This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32) The poor will see and be glad—you who seek God, may your hearts live!
33) The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.
34) Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,
35) for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;
36) the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.
One thing we forget about the psalms is how honest and raw they are. The Jewish people, in speaking with God, in lamenting their situation, do not necessarily use their “inside voices”. This shows us how close the Jewish people felt to God that they could be truly authentic ion their despair and anger, and truly trusting that they would be heard. In the following psalm, imagine that you are listening to the psalm writer as he is complaining to you. What is the situation that has him so upset and afraid? Which of his complaints to you really sympathize with? Which seem to be exaggerated? Is the exaggeration understandable, given his humanity? Have you ever been in a situation where you have been overwhelmed by despair and fear? If not, can you think of some instances in which someone might feel this way? How do you react to his desire to have his tormentors punished and really hurt? How do you think Jesus would respond to verses 22-28? Which of the verses in this do you identify with; which do you disown? Now imagine that you are God, listening to this kind of anger and fear constantly. What does it tell you about the love and understanding of God that God has so much patience with all of our kvetching? What do you want to say to God in return?
Write you own psalm to God (short or long) about your life right now… Be honest.
POETIC REFLECTIONS
This poem is a revision of an earlier set of Paradoxical Commandments by Kent Keith. A related version is engraved on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta.
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough.
Give the best you've got anyway.
You see,
in the final analysis it is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway.
Fear by Raymond Carver
Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive.
Fear of falling asleep at night.
Fear of not falling asleep.
Fear of the past rising up.
Fear of the present taking flight.
Fear of the telephone that rings in the dead of night.
Fear of electrical storms.
Fear of the cleaning woman who has a spot on her cheek!
Fear of dogs I've been told won't bite.
Fear of anxiety!
Fear of having to identify the body of a dead friend.
Fear of running out of money.
Fear of having too much, though people will not believe this.
Fear of psychological profiles.
Fear of being late and fear of arriving before anyone else.
Fear of my children's handwriting on envelopes.
Fear they'll die before I do, and I'll feel guilty.
Fear of having to live with my mother in her old age, and mine.
Fear of confusion.
Fear this day will end on an unhappy note.
Fear of waking up to find you gone.
Fear of not loving and fear of not loving enough.
Fear that what I love will prove lethal to those I love.
Fear of death.
Fear of living too long.
Fear of death.
I've said that.
