Do Not Be Afraid – Br. Lucas Hall
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John 6:16-21
“It is I; do not be afraid.”1This is a familiar pattern. The Gospel narratives are full of instances where Jesus appears to his followers in a way that causes them terror. These experiences of fear seem to come in response to those moments in which Christ’s divinity is revealed, full and alive within his human vesture. In Mark’s Gospel, the angel of the Lord tells the women at the tomb that Jesus has arisen as he said; to this, we respond, “Alleluia,”2but this news prompted the women to flee from the tomb, “for terror and amazement had seized them.”3 At the Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John are clearly astonished throughout the episode, but fall over in terror at the Father’s proclamation that, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” This fear is only calmed by Jesus touching the disciples and telling them “do not be afraid.”4
But then, Jesus’s revelation does not only cause fear among his disciples. In John’s Gospel, Christ asks the company of men who had come to arrest him, “Whom are you looking for?” They answer, “Jesus of Nazareth,” and he replies, “I am he.” At this, the men “stepped back and fell to the ground.”5 Falling to the ground implies an uncontrolled, instinctual response. Like a person whose hand touches the hot burner of a stove, this is not a thought-out reaction.
But that is easier to explain. An adversary of Jesus might very well recoil from him. Somewhere in the recesses of the soul, a man might know he is playing with fire before he ever consciously processes that danger. That doesn’t explain, though, why Jesus’s followers must repeatedly be reminded that he is who he is, and that they must repeatedly go through bouts of fear at these reminders. And of course, this isn’t a problem relegated to history. I often tremble at those brushes with divinity, however faint and rare and brief they are, that God sees fit to grant me in my prayer. They are intense, alive, electric. They are love. And they are terrifying.
It further confuses to know two very different responses to fear given in Scripture. We are repeatedly exhorted to fear God that we may enter into his love.6 We are also told that perfect love casts out fear.7 Maybe the answer is, then, that fear is a necessary component of faith before the perfect, loving fullness of time comes. We have reason to fear the love of God, in its confusing, shattering, beckoning, illuminating totality. We have reason to look upon the baffling promise of union with God, of redemption and glorification, as an unknown. The unknown, in general, is frightening. How terrifying, then, is it to be told that this, what we know ourselves to be, what we have always known ourselves to be, will be radically changed? To be told that we don’t even know ourselves? At least, not like this Son of Man does.
But what is unknown will not always be. The imageless God has taken form and shown his face. The veil has been torn. The light has come into the world. It is understandable to look upon this with fear, because at present, we see only dimly. But as we lift our eyes to gaze across the dark waters, arrested by the luminous, ghostly figure of Love-made-flesh walking calmly toward us, as we feel the fear penetrate to our bones at what this could possibly mean, we can take heart, for it is he, and we need not be afraid.
- John 6:20
- Regina Coeli
- Mark 16:5-8
- Matthew 17:1-7
- John 18:3-6
- Psalm 33:8, 18-19
- 1 John 4:18
I see things differently, Brother Lucas. Jesus says, “Peace be with you” and to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. No one is capable of loving and trusting while living in fear of it, at least not to my knowledge. And no one has ever given me a satisfactory explanation of exactly what is meant by “Fear God.” How does one have fear of and be filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time? The disciples followed Jesus so closely that I can think of an amazing number of words to describe what they felt and I don’t think “fear” was one of them.
I don’t fear God, our Creator whom I call Amma/Abba; I fear all the things I can do or do that keep me from coming into oneness with Amma/Abba. Maybe it is because I don’t believe that Amma/Abba “expelled“ Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. She/He knew that by giving them the gift of choice, it could lead to their disobeying and to be tempted to eat from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The ‘death’ they suffered as a result was their inability to understand there are consequences that occur when exercising their birthright. Literally, Adam and Eve were innocent infants who knew nothing and were completely dependent upon their creator. In that infinite love that is available to us at all times, we have been given an opportunity to learn, to choose again and more wisely.
Tom Skinner wrote something in his book, “How Black is the Gospel” about the innocence that was lost, the independence that was gained, and how we need to choose back to Amma/Abba by giving up that independence.
To me, our creator did not punish Adam, Eve and us by sending them out of the Garden but rather sent them/us to school to learn that one cannot escape the consequence of the choices we make. Indeed, they bit off more than they had the teeth they could chew with, spiritually speaking, and we continue to do so.
Marianne Williamson wrote in A Return to Love, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.” Further on in the book, she writes, “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.”
It is with this belief that I long to be so constantly, although not a moment before I am ready, permanently filled with the Holy Spirit.
”
“It was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved, how precious did that grace appear…….tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
Sharing this excerpt today:
Today’s SSJE devotional examines fear Were of the Lord: We are repeatedly exhorted to fear God that we may enter into his love.6 We are also told that perfect love casts out fear.7 Maybe the answer is, then, that fear is a necessary component of faith before the perfect, loving fullness of time comes. We have reason to fear the love of God, in its confusing, shattering, beckoning, illuminating totality. We have reason to look upon the baffling promise of union with God, of redemption and glorification, as an unknown. The unknown, in general, is frightening. How terrifying, then, is it to be told that this, what we know ourselves to be, what we have always known ourselves to be, will be radically changed? To be told that we don’t even know ourselves? At least, not like this Son of Man does. But what is unknown will not always be. The imageless God has taken form and shown his face. The veil has been torn. The light has come into the world. It is understandable to look upon this with fear, because at present, we see only dimly. But as we lift our eyes to gaze across the dark waters, arrested by the luminous, ghostly figure of Love-made-flesh walking calmly toward us, as we feel the fear penetrate to our bones at what this could possibly mean, we can take heart, for it is he, and we need not be afraid. Be blessed!
A beautiful homily, thank you.
“They are love. And they are terrifying.”
Such a perfect description. Thanks for articulating this so beautifully, yet succinctly.