[ Today's Readings ]
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
We can see from this that we have room to grow. Let's be honest. We all have many things of which we're afraid. There is much we're afraid to lose and much we're afraid we won't get. We're afraid to suffer ourselves and to see our loved ones suffer. And the we are afraid that we won't receive the love we need from others and even from God.
Underlying all this fear is the fear of death. Fear of death ultimately makes us slaves (cf. Hebrews 2:15) to this world. It keeps our hearts from rising to the things of heaven. And all of our little fears stem from the fear of death. It is because of the change and impermanence of which death is the ultimate manifestation that we are afraid.
But apparently there is more to it than that. It isn't just that it is loss and death. But it has to do with punishment. It means, we think, that all the suffering is ultimately personal. It is directed against us. The universe is not neutral. And if we are being punished it is in fact against us. This is our implicit feeling about any suffering. We start to believe that God is against us and not for us.
But this is not the ultimate purpose of suffering and death. It can't be, because we know that God is for us (cf. Romans. 8:31). We need to come to know and believe in the love God has for us. When God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us we lose our fear. This isn't because the situation changes, necessarily, but because we know that God does not want to punish us. We see suffering and death as correctives for a fallen people who tend to focus and invest too much in this world. We are free from punishment if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Even those who experience damnation do not experience it because God does not love them. They don't experience it because he wants to punish them. They experience it because they refuse his mercy and love and thereby choose damnation for themselves.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (cf Ezekiel 18:23).
We're almost reluctant to think of things this way. Punishment is punishment, isn't it? Doesn't it have to do with justice? Doesn't that mean that God does take some secret pleasure in it? Justice does allow the death of the sinner, but it in no way delights in it. In fact mercy and love are active and at work to prevent it.
We need not fear the waves of the sea even in the darkest watch of the night.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
We need not fear if we realize that Jesus sees us. Because he loves us even in the midst of the wind and the waves we can have confidence. And if we aren't there yet, we don't need to be afraid about that either. He wants to reveal to us the love which casts out fear.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
If we're afraid, let's not be proud. Let's be poor enough to cry out to him. He will surely save us.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
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