Do Not Be Afraid

December 18, 2008

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

They shall again live on their own land. Jeremiah 23:8b

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Matthew 1:20

Piety

The Inmost Fear

Why do I fear?

God is here,

deep within –

covering nakedness,

mothering boldness,

sustaining exuberance

restraining insolence,

siring insight,

firing lovelight,

fulfilling hallowness,

instilling hallowedness

of lung, limb, and life

with tongued fire and crossed strife –

through Christ’s indwelling,

outwelling, sorrow-quelling,

joy-swelling victory –

warm love straining

to be heard, to be loved,

yet quiet as a craning ear in silent expectation,

as simple and lonely as a man’s sigh,

as rich and crowded as God’s sea

in which I swim to eternity

alone in crowded company

I, a mere glint of God’s light,

a mere hint of his might,

yet having the mint of his Son on my heart:

a cross sweeping to God’s glorying

and a love flaming with God’s worrying –

Christ about me,

in me,

with me,

today the darkening fierce joy of god’s sorrow

and then the tranquil swift dawn of God’s tomorrow.

Why then do I fear?

God is here,

Deep within,

forever:

Life grandly vibrant,

Love scandalously flagrant,

yet heart quietly homing

and Lord wisely lording.

But, then, – why do I fear?

. . .fear. . . fear. . .fear. . .

By David J. Hassel, S.J., from Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits, edited by Michael Harter, SJ. Chicago: Loyola Press. 2005. Page 47

Study

Do not be afraid. Fear not. This advice permeates the scriptures from the Hebrew Bible to the birth of Christ, throughout the life of Jesus and right to the entrance to his tomb. Zechariah was advised not to be afraid as he prayed that Elizabeth would bear a child. When Jesus walks across the stormy seas to the disciples, he cautions them “Do not be afraid.” As the disciples take their ministry out to the region, they also are advised not be to be afraid to speak out.

Sometimes fear and trepidation is a natural instinct. Yet the prophets, Jesus and the Holy Spirit tell us to leave our fears behind. Time after time, scripture points us one way when common sense seems to point the other way. Yet the Holy Spirit cried out, as he does today to Joseph, “Do not be afraid” to do something which might confuse and confound conventional wisdom. When we defy conventional wisdom, we may have to go outside our own personal comfort zone.

Action

Fear is gripping the people in the Republic of the Congo. Here is a message from an e-mail alert and Catholic Relief Services web site (WWW.CRS.ORG) about how you can help them conquer the fear of modern times.

Congolese Bishops Plead for Your Help

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has erupted once again in turmoil and destruction, forcing more than 250,000 people from their homes since August 2008 and swelling the ranks of the 1.3 million people who were already displaced in the region. Armed groups have been terrorizing the population, chasing people from camps, forcibly recruiting child soldiers, raping women, attacking humanitarian convoys, and looting and destroying health centers and other infrastructure.

In response to this urgent situation, a delegation from Congo toured Canada, France and the United States to meet with government and elected officials and United Nations representatives. The delegation raised awareness about the terrible suffering of the Congolese people and advocated for more international pressure and action to address the humanitarian tragedy and underlying conflict in eastern Congo, particularly as it relates to reinforcing the United Nations peacekeeping mission there (MONUC) and its ability to protect civilian populations and put an end to militia violence.

Catholic Relief Services in partnership with the local Caritas offices in eastern Congo have been among the most active humanitarian agencies during the current crisis.

Learn More

Visit the CRS website for more information about CRS' work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Read the November 13, 2008 statement by the Congolese Bishops on the current crisis in the DRC, Congo Cries for its Children.

Read the story about the Congolese Delegation's visit to the United States in the Catholic News Service.

Visit the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website relating to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Take Action

Help stop the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thank your Senators for supporting Senate resolution 713 that calls on all parties of the escalating violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to implement an immediate ceasefire and work with the support of the international community towards reaching a comprehensive and lasting peace.