Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid (Jn 14:27)
Fear can paralyse us. When it does we cannot do God’s will, nor can we love our neighbour. No wonder “Fear not” is one of the bible’s most frequent injunctions. In Sunday’s Gospel lesson Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (Jn. 14:1). He said these words on the eve of his crucifixion. The disciples would be traumatised and distressed. But Jesus knows that, even in the most troubling times, the heart can overcome fear.
Cultivating the ability to live with fear
Prof. Miroslav Volf encourages us[1] to “cultivate the ability to live with fear, to master it rather than letting it engulf us”. That means we still “see danger clearly, but we are not be overwhelmed by its prospects”. He reminds us that in Scripture “the injunction not to fear is tied to the assurance that … God cares for us”. So Jesus, after saying, “do not let your hearts be troubled” offers one of the most assuring images of God’s care: “There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. … I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live” (Jn 14:2–3, The Message).
Jesus does not just speak comforting words. He also shows us how to live a life of trust. He too experienced a “troubled heart” (12:27, 13:21) but was able to conquer fear by entrusting himself to the Father. And Jesus does not just set an example. He comes to our aid – enabling us to conquer fear through the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16). The same Spirit that rose Christ from the dead dwells within us (Ro. 8:11).
How blessed we are that, in these troubling times, we don’t have to look too far to see ordinary men and women overcoming the paralysis of fear to reach out with love and compassion!
God Bless,
Sean.
[1] https://for-the-life-of-the-world-yale-center-for-faith-culture.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-be-afraid-miroslav-volf