A good word to reflect on at this time is the word dignity. And we can place alongside dignity the word “worth.” “You are worth more than many sparrows.” One trap we never wish to fall into is the trap that something other than the human person beholds greater dignity and worth before God. This has never been the understanding of ourselves in our Christian faith, and, it does not reconcile with what Jesus quietly speaks to his Disciples in the solitude of where this Gospel is set. One of the great verses in Scripture testifies to the Lord being the firstborn of all creatures. When St. Paul wrote those words in Colossians, he did not write that Jesus was the firstborn of man and woman. He wrote “all creatures” all creation, everything created from the mouth of God, is renewed in the resurrection of Christ. And I like using this verse from Paul to answer the dog question, “Father, do dogs go to heaven?” The technical, theological answer is that only creatures with reason, with the capacity to choose or reject heaven, can walk past the Pearly Gates. It is believed St. Peter never said, “Fido, show me your good works,” and received an answer. Now, before you get angry with me because of how much you love your dogs and other creatures, I go back to St. Paul’s verse in Colossians, that Jesus is the first-born of all creatures, and leave it at that. That tends to satisfy dog-lovers and their answer to “Do dogs go to heaven?” At the same time, we are worth more than many sparrows, and many dogs too. Our dignity is exponentially greater, because that’s how God created things. There is an order to dignity and worth before God’s presence and in God’s sight. And we are at the top of the created chain. This is why Jesus became one of us, and not a turtle. Along the way we can lose sight of this holy truth of dignity and worth. Of our value of living in Christ. We may forget we are worth more than many sparrows. We may lose sight of the lasting truth that never changes that we are the only creature made in the image and likeness of God. Especially when there are riots, lootings, burning down businesses and vehicles, social discord, the killing of a person who didn’t need to die, and such. It’s easy to lose sight of our true value, our worth, our dignity, where we become the dogs, and dogs become us. But we must return to this basic Godly truth; that while many human forces seek to separate, conquer, divide, and cause violence and chaos among people whom God has claimed as his own, and whose Son was sent into the world to redeem us. While many forces among us work the powers of discord and separation, imitating the demons that Christ called out of possessed people he encountered. While confusion can and has reached a fever pitch, there has to remain a group willing to stick out their necks, not fear others who kill the body, and speak and act the words of Jesus that says we are worth more than many sparrows. At the heart of Jesus’ message this week is the remembrance of our true worth, the honest value of who you are. While others may forget their dignity and worth, it’s the calling of the Christian not to stand in judgment, but to call others to that higher plane. To evangelize our greater worth, putting aside discord because it lessens our value, and taking on peace and brotherhood that reveals God within us.