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Writer's pictureSarah Raad

Fear

How could perfect hatred compete with perfect love?

Christ in the Wilderness (Ed Knippers)

There is one point in the Gospels where Christ tells us to FEAR. All the other times that God uses that word “Fear” it is to tell us NOT TO FEAR. But there is just one time where Christ tells us that we should fear and we should be afraid…


“Jesus began to say to His disciples, ‘Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.’” (Luke 12:1-7).


And I have been reflecting on those words, “Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Christ is telling me plainly and simply – fear the Evil One. After all, the Evil One is an angel, and angels are more powerful than humans by there very nature. And this means that if I were to rely on my own strength to try to defeat the Evil One, I would be lost. Instead, I must rely on the strength of God. After all, that is the whole point that Christ is making there. He tells us to fear the Evil One but to trust in God. For just as God knows every hair on my head, so too will God protect me (and those hairs) if we ask Him to…


And how do I ask for God’s protection in this and all things? Well, I invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and all the angels and the saints. I call out to those who are saved and ask them to intercede for me (who is not yet saved) so that my Beloved will help me. For the power of Love – the Power of my Beloved, of God Himself – is far greater than any power of evil could ever be.


At the fall of humankind, when the Evil One began to wander the earth in search of souls, he felt strong. And he gathered about him many human souls. But at the Crucifixion, when LOVE itself died on the Cross, the Evil One trembled in fear. Because in that moment – in that fulfilment of the prophesies, the Evil One understood the plan of the Almighty One, when He created the Blessed Virgin to bear His only Begotten Son. Because it would only be through such a sacrifice as that that the Evil One could be defeated. After all, how could perfect selfishness and pride ever complete with perfect selflessness and humility? How could perfect hatred compete with perfect love? The former are empty and the latter are full…


And the Fullness of God is what saved the world from the emptiness of sin… So through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and all the angels and the saints, I know that I am safe and need not fear…


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


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