Today's Gospel

Be Not Afraid

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where each day we are looking for a word or a phrase or an idea that the Holy Spirit uses in the gospel to stir our hearts so we can go out underwater and live the gospel in new and unique ways. Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke chapter 2 verses 1 through 14.

In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment when Quinnius was governor of Syria and all went to be enrolled each to his own city. And Joseph went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and the lineage of David. To be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the end. And in that region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. For you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among all men of goodwill."

What is it that jumps out at you today? In every reading, there's dozens of things you could choose. We see the angels announcing to the people, "Do not be afraid." And this is a message. This is the message that repeats more time than any other message in the Bible. Be not afraid. Be not afraid. Do not be afraid. God says it. The angels say it. Jesus says it. Over and over and over and over again throughout the Scriptures, Old Testament and New Testament. Most common phrase to appear in the Bible, be not afraid. Why is that? Why is God so intent on encouraging us to set aside our fears? Well, from a very practical point of view, he obviously senses that we are afraid. He senses that we are afraid. And as a father, a loving father, he doesn't want us to live in our fears. He wants to liberate us from our fears. He wants us to set our fears aside so we can live in his joy and his freedom. But he senses that we are afraid. And so today, I guess I ask you a couple of questions. What are you afraid of? We're all afraid of different things at different times in our lives. What are you afraid of? At this time in your life, what is the dominant fear at this time in your life? And when's the last time you handed that over to God? When's the last time you went to mass and you placed that fear on the altar and you just offered it up to God and said, "God, it's yours. Transform this fear. Liberate me from it. What are you afraid of? And have you handed that fear over to God?

And then the second question is, in what way are you afraid to live the gospel more deeply, more fully, more radically, with more conviction, with more determination? In what way are you afraid of living the gospel more fully? What are you afraid will happen if you did live the gospel more fully? And is it possible that the complete opposite might happen? Is it possible that you might usher in a period of unparalleled joy and human flourishing in your life? If you let go, if you set those fears aside, and if you made it a priority to live the gospel with more intentionality than ever before. Have a great day and remember, don't just be yourself. Be the very best-version-of-yourself, all that God has created you to be.