St. Bartholomew Church

In the midst of our Gospel this weekend, Jesus gives us a profoundly good soundbite that is so simple, it's something we all should be able to remember. Do not be afraid. Just have faith.

It is said that in the whole of Sacred Scripture God says some 365 times to us in one form or another those very important words… do not be afraid.  It's as if God knows us and knows how easy it is for us to get crippled by our fear, that he tells us once for everyday of the year, do not be afraid.

And I think we know that fear can be a crippling thing for us. In fact it can be the one thing that so easily consumes us.  When we find ourselves confronted with awfulness. When we find ourselves face to face with evil, with the worst this life can throw at us.  All of the situations in our lives that we know could so easily go disastrously wrong.  Fear is so very real. 

And God hates that kinda stuff. He hates our suffering, all the garbage of this life we have to endure, including even death itself.  He doesn't delight in it at all.  He just asks that we trust Him in the midst of it. That we not allow fear to consume us and lead us away from Him, but rather to trust that somehow someway He has it all under control.  That’s not easy.  But that’s faith.  Faith is the exact opposite of fear. 

When we find ourselves facing the wretched moments, whatever they may be for us, we need to hear those simple words of Jesus - do not be afraid. Just have faith.

Our prayer this week should be a simple one – one that we probably need to offer everyday if not more.  Jesus, remove my fear and increase my faith. God help us all.