The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.
A scary incident happened to me several years ago. I've never been so terrified in my life....
I worked as a chemist in a food laboratory. One morning I arrived early to begin a routine test. While cleaning glassware, I heard a loud "Va-voosh!" Flames ignited -- flash fire!!! I grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and discharged dry chemical on the flames. It took two very heavy extinguishers to put out the fire!
Throughout the emergency my fear turned into an adrenaline-fueled rush. I remember the trembling and tears as my life literally "flashed" before my eyes. Lord, please help me!! Don't let me die!
The fire trucks arrived as I sat outside covered in yellow powder. Labored in breathing, the medics placed an oxygen mask on my face. The firemen looked shocked to see a petite woman not only extinguish out a fire by herself but do it without serious injury. Reflecting back, I was so scared I'd get fired from my job due to negligence. I blamed myself for the blaze. However, it turned out I didn't do anything wrong. What caused the fire was an air flow problem amplified by a recent room expansion.
I knew on that very day that God wasn't ready to take me over to his "neck of the heavens" yet. He prepared a life mission for me, but I had no clue what.
Sadly, in 2015 this same facility I worked at 17 years ago burned down to the ground. No injuries or casualties, thank the Lord.
Intensity of Fear Everybody experiences fear. Maybe we are scared of bee stings or traumatized by needles and blood. Perhaps we fear public speaking or tall heights. Maybe we fear dying from an incurable disease or witnessing a loved one die. Fear is a natural emotional response. However, we should never allow fear to overtake our lives.
What is a remedy to fear? Faith and Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan loves to use fear to keep us out of the shadows of God's mercy and into the webs of his cunning deceit. Satan gently whispers into our ears:
Oh, you don't need Jesus Christ as your savior! He's the reason you're such a scared-dycat! Why not follow me? I can give you everything you want! You don't need to pray. Heck, you don't even have to go to church anymore. Just worship me and all of your fears will disappear.
Be brave and don't fall for Satan's lies! In fact, pray even more diligently; receive the sacraments even more frequently; make it to confession more regularly. Fears can be overcome. Remember the disciples were frightened out of their wits seeing Jesus' resurrected body walking on the sea. But his simple, "It is I, do not be afraid" brought them peace and comfort. They arrived at the shore safely despite the fierce storm.
Government of Fear In my Lay Dominican formation, we recently read a letter by former Master of the Order Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. titled "Dominican Freedom and Responsibility Towards a Spirituality of Government." As I prepared for this meditation, I stumbled upon an interesting section talking about fear in terms of responsibility. Fr. Radcliffe writes, "Fear destroys all good government." He was speaking aboutdemocratic government within the Order of Preachers; however, I think this phrase is applicable to our US government today. How often does fear cause our nation to makequestionable decisions? How often does fear rush us into war zones when we have no business getting into another country's civil disputes? Hmmm...Something to think and pray about.
“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” - Saint Pope John Paul II
This meditation was written by Jennifer Burgin, a Lay Dominican candidate associated with St. Albert the Great Dominican Priory. Please follow her blog: Jennifer's Spectrum of Spirituality
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