“Do not be afraid, but have fear.” As contrary as that sounds, that’s what we’re being told in today’s Gospel. Three times in the Gospel we’re told not to be afraid. But in one instance Jesus tells us “Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who has the power to make both body and soul perish in Gehenna”. Jesus is telling us that as long as we are more concerned about our eternal life, we need not be afraid of anything earthly, or have fear of any human being. There’s’ nothing that any person can do to our soul. But rather, we must fear God——-but——not be afraid of him.
As slight as it may be, there is a difference between being afraid, and having fear. Being afraid is a manifestation of our fundamental instinct for preservation. It’s an instinct that doesn’t need to be learned. It’s a reaction that overtakes us suddenly in the face of danger; a reaction to a threat to our well-being; a response to a real, or perceived danger that threatens our life, our physical safety, or our affective world.
Fear, on the other hand, is often learned. The fear of something usually comes from a bad experience in the past. Someone who nearly drowns when they are young often grows up with a fear of being on the water. So, when Jesus speaks to us of having a fear of God, it’s quite different than being afraid. Fear of God must be learned. It’s a component of faith, born from the knowledge of who God is. Psalm 34 tells us, “Come, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” Fear of God is more a sign of reverence and awe; putting our complete trust and faith in God, so we don’t have to be afraid. In chapter 5 of Luke’s Gospel Jesus cures a paralyzed man and makes him walk. Luke tells us “Everyone was in awe and praised God; filled with fear.” That doesn’t mean that they were afraid. The fear of God is often called “the beginning of wisdom”, because it leads to making the right choices in life. What’s getting worse and worse in today’s society is that very few people fear God anymore. And the more that the fear of God diminishes, the more we become afraid of our fellow man. When we lose our faith in God, we place all our confidence in the things of this world; or as Jesus said; “The things that thieves can steal and moths consume”; Things that need to be protected and defended, often with force; Things that can disappear in a moment, but will eventually, and always be claimed by time. The only way out of this crisis is to rediscover the necessity of the Holy Fear of God; and putting our faith and trust in the only thing that will last. God does not want us to be afraid of him, but to have confidence in him.
When we learn to let go of our earthly fears and fear only God, that allows us to become the disciples that Jesus asks us to be; being witnesses for him. It takes a lot of courage to witness to Christ. In our first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a prayer from Jeremiah. He had been imprisoned for preaching the Truth of God to his people. He pointed out how they had abandoned God, and for doing this he was persecuted. Even his friends plotted against him. But even in the midst of his torment and suffering he expresses a great confidence in God.
It’s no easier in today’s society. Those who stand up for their faith in Christ are often rejected, called fanatics or bigots. When society drifts away from the “Truth” of God, it’s unable to distinguish between right and wrong. The crowd of society thinks religion limits a person’s freedom and curbs one’s enjoyment of life. The crowd thinks only of itself and its own self-gratification. The crowd doesn’t realize that true freedom and pleasure come only from God. When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, he was greeted by the crowd who threw palms on the road before him. Some even put their cloaks on the road. A short time later the crowd demanded that he be crucified. ——- So much for the support of the crowd. But Jesus tells us not be concerned if people call you names because you have the courage to live your faith. Be more concerned with losing your soul. The Apostles themselves were very timid at first, but with the coming of the Holy Spirit they became fearless and did exactly as Jesus expected them to do. Their strong faith and courage in witnessing to Christ was the very beginning of the Church, attracting thousands. Most of them were eventually martyred, but I doubt they could have imagined how their words and their actions would continue to witness to Christ through the centuries. Likewise, we never know how our words of witness, or even a kind gesture may help someone recognize and come to know Christ through us; and our witness to Jesus may the means of others in the crowd who are on the verge, but just don’t have the courage to be witnesses themselves. We’ve been given the gift of the Holy Spirit also. We need not be afraid. We have all the saints through the ages to inspire us; those who were willing to witness to Christ even in the face of martyrdom. Everyone, each in his own way, should acknowledge Jesus to the world if they are sincere in gaining eternal life. That’s what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel; “Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father”. He also adds; “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my Father in heaven”. But God doesn’t want to condemn anyone. We are all important to him and he is very attentive to all that we say and do. As Jesus also says in today’s Gospel; “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”.
Do any of you know the number of hairs on your head? That’s God’s way of telling us that he knows us intimately; better than we know ourselves. It is this intimate understanding of us that he can respond to in ways that invite us to open our hearts to him. May we give God permission to draw closer to us. When we open ourselves to that bountiful gift, the more we will become a blessing in the lives of others.
The moral of today’s story is not to let your faith be hidden. And do not be afraid of the consequences of speaking out. If we truly believe in the Gospel and have faith in God, we will be free of all earthly worries. The judgment of this world is temporary and superficial. The real judgment comes on the last day, and it is in that court that Jesus promises he will speak up for his disciples. The court of heaven is the only court that really counts.