Fear

“Love your children. In them you can see Baby Jesus. Pray for them a lot and every day put them under Holy Mary's protection.” (Saint Gianna Molla).

Saint Gianna Molla and Family

I have been thinking about opposites today.

What is the opposite of fear?  Some people might think that the opposite of fear is courage or bravery.  But this would not be correct.  You see, courage or bravery is the ability to act even while afraid.  It is not the absence of fear to act bravely, but rather the decision to act as though there is no fear that is the action of bravery.

And I have been thinking about that today…  Because it seems that there is more to this opposite of fear than meets the eye.  After all, if courage or bravery is not the opposite of fear, then I need to consider what is.  And it seems to me that the opposite of fear is LOVE…

After all, how many times in the Gospels are we told not to be afraid by LOVE Himself?  And the Saints also articulate the same thing…  Saint Gianna Molla said, “Love your children. In them you can see Baby Jesus. Pray for them a lot and every day put them under Holy Mary's protection.”

Saint Thomas a Kempis wrote in Imitation of Christ at page 148, “Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a mortal man? Today he is, and tomorrow he appears no more. Fear God, and thou shalt have no need of being afraid of man. What can anyone do against thee by his words or injuries? He rather hurts himself than thee, nor can he escape the judgment of God whoever he be. See thou have God before thine eyes and do not contend with complaining words. And if at present thou seem to be overcome, and to suffer a confusion which thou has not deserved, do not repine at this and do not lessen thy crown by impatience.”  And I have been reflecting on what the Saint meant when he told us to FEAR God.  For this is not the sort of fear that I talk about in my daily life.  This is LOVE.  The Saint is telling me to LOVE and WORSHIP God.  He is asking us to pay attention to the infinity of God and to appreciate and acknowledge His greatness compared with our own unworthiness…

“In Him we have redemption by His blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of His grace that He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will in accord with His favour that He set forth in Him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.” (Ephesians 1:7-10).

And I have been reflecting on that today, for it seems that the opposite of fear is LOVE and the love of a Father in Heaven is so magnificent that I really have nothing of which to be afraid…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.