Saturday, June 23, 2018

23 June 2018 - fearless

Reputed to be the tomb of Zechariah son of Jehoiada


Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.

We worry in spite of the words of Jesus. We are pretty sure that if we just worry hard enough we can add a single moment to our life-span. But this is not so. Certainly prudent action might prolong our life. But worry, if it has any effect, will shorten it. At this point we are probably worrying about our worrying and trying to cease to worry with more worry. From there it is a short step to say that this is merely beyond our control and to give up.

God shows us how to not be consumed by worry. He wants us to know that he is our heavenly Father who knows all of our needs. He wants us to reflect on his providential care for the world and to know that he cares for us more than the rest of creation. We may feel worry. This can become a simple reminder to stop trusting in ourselves and to look to God instead. It can be a reminder to stop insisting on our plans and to start trusting in his plan.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (see John 14:27).

Jesus has already given us his Spirit. The fruit of peace latent within us, waiting to be put into use. When we feel worry we can say, "LORD I feel worry, but I choose to have the peace of your Spirit in my heart right now." The first time we might not feel it. That isn't as important as recognizing the truth of the promise. If we recognize it as true and claim it in faith the feelings will catch up eventually.

If we don't learn to trust in God for our peace we will wind up like Israel, always chasing sacred poles and the idols. We will choose what seems expedient and necessary for self-preservation. Yet trusting in ourselves always proves futile in the end.

Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power,
because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers.

The simple prayer of the Divine Mercy image, "Jesus I trust in you" is such a potent antidote to fear in worry. To really place ourselves into the Scriptures where Jesus tells us, "Do not be afraid" actually causes the fear to be cast out from us. Letting the Spirit fill us as it did Saint John Paul the Great empowers us to make those words our own and to speak them into a world of fear that is desperate to find peace in which it can believe.

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.
I will make his posterity endure forever
and his throne as the days of heaven.




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