"DO NOT BE AFRAID."

Homily for October 20^th, 2017: Luke 12:1-7.
          “Do not be afraid,” Jesus tells us in the gospel reading we have just heard. He says it, in fact, twice over. We find the same reassuring command, to fear nothing, throughout the gospels. In today’s gospel reading the command not to fear follows the statement, “Everything you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight.” That is fearful indeed. Which one of us would like to have everything we have ever said, even in secret, publicly revealed to all? Don’t we all have things we’ve said that would make us ashamed if they were publicized?

          Jesus repeats the command not to fear after speaking about what we must all undergo at the end of earthly life: death. “Do not fear those who can kill the body and can do no more.” Fear instead, Jesus says, “him who has power to cast into hell after he has killed.” This time Jesus gives us the reason why we need not fear: because God loves us with a love that will never let us go: in God’s eyes, he says, “even the hairs of your head are numbered.”

There is not one of us who has no fears at all. To overcome them we need to deepen and strengthen our spiritual vision. Buried in the Old Testament and hence mostly overlooked, there is a story about this. We find it in just a few verses in the 2^nd Book of Kings, chapter 6.  It tells about the prophet Elisha finding himself surrounded one morning by enemy troops. They want to kidnap him, because Elisha has been giving intelligence information to the king of Israel. Seeing their desperate plight, Elisha=s servant panics. ADo not be afraid,@ Elisha tells him, Afor those who are with us are more than those who are with them.@    

How could the servant believe that? He and Elisha were alone and encircled. Their situation was hopeless. So Elisha does what prophets do best. He prays: AO Lord, open his eyes, that he may see.@ The story continues: AAnd the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, so that he saw the mountainside filled with horses and fiery chariots around Elisha.@ With the protection of these heavenly warriors, God=s angels, Elisha has an easy victory over his enemies that day.

When we find ourselves beset with fear, we need to pray, as Elisha prayed: “Lord, open my eyes that I may see” – see your love for me, your understanding of my weakness, the desire deep in my heart to be truly yours, despite my many humiliating falls. Let me see, Lord, your boundless mercy and willingness to forgive. Help me to see that those who are with me are always more than those who fight against me.