In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Do not be afraid.” That phrase appears in the Old and New Testaments over 350 times. Think about it, God has communicated to us directly, through the words of Sacred Scripture, that we are not to be afraid. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells the synagogue official: Do not be afraid; just have faith.” This is great advice for us to follow this day and always. We live all too much in a constant state of fear. This fear has permeated every aspect of our existence. I dare say that this fear has debilitated many people. We need to come out from under the darkness of fear and start once again living in the light. The Child in the Manger came to dispel the darkness and to shed light into our lives. We must always walk in that light. To those living in fear, Jesus tells you today to trust and “put out into the deep.” To those fearmongers, who deliberately arouse fear in us about one issue or another, the time has come for us to stop listening to them and start listening to what Jesus has to say. His message is abundantly clear: “Do not be afraid!” Hear what Moses said to the people and picture him speaking this to you: “Do not fear! Stand your ground and see the victory the Lord will win for you today. For {this} . . . you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” Let us together do that this day!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne