Wednesday after Epiphany Sunday
1 John 4:11-18 | Psalm 71(72):1-2,10-13 | Mark 6:45-52
In love there can be no fear,
but fear is driven out by perfect love:
because to fear is to expect punishment,
and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
As I walked back home yesterday, I happened upon a pair of enforcement officers talking to a young lady in Uber Eats livery, standing next to her e-scooter. Most folks have probably cursed such riders in their hearts as they speed by at an alarming pace, so this particular grouping drew more than a few stares from passing pedestrians…and maybe one or two muttered “good, she deserves it!”
I then noticed another e-scooter rider approaching rapidly, but as he noticed the trio, he quickly slowed down and got off his vehicle, choosing to walk past them all instead of risking a stern conversation.
I thought I saw a quick grin flash across the face of the female enforcement officer at the retreating youngster, though I might have been mistaken.
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It’s safe to say that we live in fear: of being caught in immorality, of being judged unworthy, of being ostracized for doing something that no one else is doing…especially if what you’re doing is The Right Thing by some standard.
I see it for myself every time I stop at a “red man” and wait for the crossing signal to turn in my favour…even when there’s no traffic to impede my progress. Inevitably, others will stop and wait behind me as well, until one impatient soul barges past us all and crosses against the light. A beat later, someone else musters enough courage to do the same, and soon a whole bunch of people follow suit.
Unless I stand my ground, in which case there are almost always one or two folks who still hang back, unsure of how to proceed. Their relief when they see both the “green man” come up and me finally crossing the road is almost palpable.
Then, sometimes, I’m the one who barges out into the empty street, dragging the wavering souls behind me.
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St. John reminds us today that “in love there is no fear” and “fear is exorcised by perfect love”. The two are in fact radically opposed: fear is inherently selfish, an inward focus on one’s reputation and communal standing, while love is generous, desiring the good of others above ourselves.
So when we tell ourselves that we don’t know enough to share our faith, that’s crippling FEAR at heart, stopping us from doing what we know we’ve been called to do.
And when we say to ourselves “my friend is lost, and I ought to show him the Way”, that doesn’t guarantee success. We may still make mistakes in the finer details, like when a friend proclaimed that “we mourn Jesus’ passing on Good Friday”.
But when we proceed with the Spirit of LOVE, those occasional mistakes should not impede the general thrust of our message, and our striving to raise others up becomes in turn our compelling witness to God’s love and grace.
For the One who gave up everything, especially His life, brooks no fear and deserves no less from us. He has the power to calm the storms in our lives, and give us the words and actions to spread His Truth to others who haven’t yet heard.
All He asks is that we step up and say, “You called me, Lord, so here I am. Enable me.”
Amen.