Gospel Reflection 2021/2022

We live in fear.

Let’s be honest: all of us live in fear.

Fear is natural and primitive; it is an integral part of human emotion. According to Psychology Today, there are five (5) universal fears all humans share:

1) Fear of extinction: it is more than just fearing death; it is the fear of being annihilated, the fear of being wiped out from the face of the earth.

2) Fear of losing autonomy: it is the fear of being immobilized, paralyzed, restricted, overwhelmed, or constrained by circumstances beyond our control.

3) Fear of mutilation: the fear of pain and suffering, diseases and cancers, or the losing of our body parts.

4) Fear of separation: it is the fear of abandonment, rejection, loss of connectedness, not feeling/ being wanted, accepted, respected, appreciated, or valued.

5) Fear of ego-death: it is the fear of humiliation and shame.

How do we normally deal with fear?

In the face of fear or imminent danger, it is a natural human response to ‘fight or flight’.

‘Fight’: We activate our defence system, aggressively react to the fear, and we fight back. In our mindless reaction to fear, we can turn into restless, impatient, irritable, angry and violent monsters.

‘Flight’: We brush aside the fear or evade the problem. To run away and hide, we distract ourselves and numb our feelings through binge eating and drinking, luxurious feasting and partying, excessive entertainment, substance abuse, indulgence of the senses, sexual addictions, instant gratification, and other forms of escapism.

As Christians, how should we deal with fear?

Imitating Jesus, we are called to be cool, calm, confident, composed and Christ-centred disciples.

It is said that the phrase “DO NOT BE AFRAID” appears 365 times in the Holy Bible – a constant reminder that we must trust in God daily and live our every single day fearlessly.

Being fearless does not mean the total elimination or eradication of fear. Rather, being fearless means that against all odds, we place our total trust in God and abandon ourselves to God’s divine will. In letting go and letting God, fear no longer has power and control over us.

Jesus has shown us the perfect example of being fearless in hopelessness. He suffered all the five (5) universal human fears to the superlative degree. Yet, He placed His total trust in the Father and abandoned Himself to the Father’s will.

• • He was sorrowful to the point of death at the thought of His Passion and Death until He sweated blood at the Garden of Gethsemane. [Lk 22: 44]

• • He came to His own, but His own received Him not. [Jn 1:11]

• • He was betrayed by Judas [Mt 26: 49] and deserted by His beloved disciples. [Mt 26: 56]

• • He was insulted, mocked, ridiculed, arrested, jailed, spat upon, slapped, blindfolded, flogged, stripped bare, crowned with thorns, and crucified alongside with criminals. And He died a horrible and humiliating death. [cf. Lk 22: 14 – 23: 56)]

Yes, Jesus was afraid. He is ONE WITH US in our human fear and human frailty. However, He embraced the human experience of fear and overcame it with His infinite love. The love of Christ expels fear; the love of Christ overcomes fear; the love of Christ transcends and transforms fear.

A mother, though afraid, is willing to die for her child. A child, though threatened by imminent danger, finds comfort and solace in the mother’s embrace. If our human love can be so powerful, how infinitely more powerful is the love of Christ? If we truly experience His infinite love for us, then we will have nothing to fear – for His love conquers all fears.

On this 1^st Sunday of Advent (the beginning of the new liturgical year), Jesus reminds us of His Second Coming [Lk 21: 34-35],

“Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.”

The power of prayer.

‘Today we lift up our souls to Christ who comes to deliver us from fear; in Him we trust and hope. We can stand erect, hold our heads high and dwell in confidence.’ [The Colins’ Sunday Missal]

To lift up our souls to Christ, and to trust and hope in Him, WE MUST PRAY. Prayer is an essential and integral part of a Christian life. A Christian who does not pray is not a Christian after all. Prayer connects us to God. Prayer fosters our relationship with Him. Prayer helps us centre on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Without this profound communion with God, we can never truly experience God’s abiding love in us.

St Pio of Pietrelcina exhorts us to “Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear our prayer.” As we begin the season of waiting for the Lord, let us ‘stay awake, praying at all times’ [Lk 21: 36] – ‘our liberation is near at hand!’ [Lk 21:28]

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, let Your infinite love liberate me from all fears.”