Sermon Delivered at Church of the Good Shepherd
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Thursday, May 2, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
By the Rev. Stephen C. Galleher
Fear Not!
“[The Jews]…were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” (Acts 10: 44-48)
“Pour into our hearts such love towards you that we will love you in all things.”
(Collect, Easter VI)
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you….I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” (John 15:9-17)
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The appearances of the risen Christ, at least how the Gospels report them to us, are intended to communicate one thing. That this risen Lord is with us always. This means now, in our present life. Eternity is now and we are in it. Startling, isn’t it? Eternal life is not something we await. It is something we possess. Our baptism affirms it. Christ’s resurrection reaffirms it.
And along with this assurance of God’s continuous presence with us throughout our earthly journey (and, for good measure, always) there are two other things that the risen Christ announces in practically all his appearances. The first is, “Peace be with you. My peace I give you.” And the second is, “Fear not.” These are about the two most wonderful gifts that we human beings can receive. In fact, the gift of peace and the gift of release from fear are closely related. When we are free of fear, we are at peace, are we not? A peaceful heart is a heart that is unafraid.
Let’s look at fear a little more closely, for I know of no human being who has not been visited by fear. It is part and parcel of our humanity. From fear of heights, spiders and snakes to fear of losing something we treasure or of getting something we do not want.
Some of my favorite silly fear jokes:
I have a fear of speed bumps. I’m slowly getting over it.
What do you call the fear of being trapped in a chimney? Claus-trophobia.
How do you get over a fear of elevators? Take some steps to avoid them.
What lies at the bottom of the ocean and shakes a lot? A nervous wreck!
Wild, isn’t it? Fear is an embrace of, or rather a revulsion toward something that is not here, that has not happened! I fear going to the dentist, but I am not yet in the dentist’s chair. I fear the death of my sick loved one, but my loved one is not yet dead. I’m scared of dying, but, to put it bluntly, I ain’t dead yet.
Several quick questions to ask about fear?
1) How many things that you have feared have not come to fruition, have not happened? How about the things you fear now? Do you think they will actually happen, or that they will happen in precisely the way you fear? Remember last week how I spoke of the silver lining that often awaits the bad things we thought were to come to pass? Things that we dreaded often turned out to be not so bad after all, even sometimes as blessings.
2) How often have you been mistaken about what you were fearing? Isn’t fear behind so much of our tribal politics today? We tend to think that someone else or some other group of people will take away something dear to us? Racism has this fear built into it. Perhaps one of the reasons that Congress can readily pass an Asian anti-discrimination bill is that our Asian brothers and sisters do not pose any discernible threat to our (I might as well say it, “white”) way of life as African Americans and Hispanics can…and seem to be doing. And isn’t it interesting that so many of the attacks on our Asian friends come from African-Americans?
And why else are a good number of Americans falling into a kind of psychosis, refusing to accept the reality that is before them? Is it not fear of the challenge that our black and brown brothers and sisters pose to the white, male dominating class?
How tragic is it to see such class and economic divisions create such hatred in our land today! Where is the love for goodness sakes! Just as the Jews were appalled that non-Jews were accepting Christ and being baptized, so certain of our citizens think that they and only they should benefit from the riches and benefits of our country? They fear losing something that they think should be only theirs or of being brought into a way of life that they simply do not want!
It’s all about fear. Fear blocks love. Fear diminishes love. Where there is no fear, love can blossom and flourish. And who does not want love, lots and lots of it in fact? That is why Christ gives us this gift. “Fear not.” This is what he says over and over again. Why do we not listen? Fear must be the answer.
Fear is awfully, awfully strong. In fact, I suggest it may be behind every withholding of love. It may require some sacrifice on my part. I have to give up something I just do not want to give up. Trust me, in my case, I have a lot left to give up. Fear. Love casts it out!
Think what a sigh of relief we could release if we stopped fearing one another. I can hear the wind being released from our lungs. And that beautiful sense of peace that would fill our hearts. Yes, that peace is with us always, but we paper it over with the fretfulness we live with and with which fills our public channels.
Remember. When Jesus uttered those words to his disciples, the Romans still held power and authority over Israel. Crucifixions and stonings still took place outside Jerusalem. We’d like to think that strife and war somehow took a holiday. But, no, the world rolled on. As it has for two and more millennia. Discord, mayhem, war.
My goodness, only God knows why God remains patient with God’s creation.
But then just as now. I suppose if God is so patient, perhaps this is what we must be as well. The gift of the resurrection is the gift of faith. Are we going to receive it, or postpone it? Don’t you love the hymn: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Let us look… and this time really see. Let us enjoy the life we have rather than the one we wish it be. For when this peace is in our hearts, it is already changing the world. Think about this.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be
With God with us
Friends all are we
Let me walk with these friends
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this moment be now.
With ev’ry step I take
Let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live
Each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Amen.