We Need Not Be Afraid

Last updated on: October 2, 2020 at 4:32 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

We Need Not Be Afraid 2020-10-02T16:32:06-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Fear not!”

The angel said these words to Mary, because real angels always must begin with comfort when they meet us. Men cannot meet with Angels safely unless God has sent the angels.

Even when God sends the angels, the result is not safety, but security. Some adventure is beginning full of peril, but God will keep us, even if we die!

Sometimes God sends Angels to execute His judgment: nobody told God that “spiritual” means soft and safe. God is just, righteous, and all knowing. Sometimes He sends Angels to smite the disobedient.

God save us from ourselves!

Any person who believes himself so righteous that he need not fear an Angel sent from God is so arrogant he should be afraid. We do not like to think of God smiting us, because we have reduced the Holy God to a being that we can “un-friend” safely. God is patient, but His patience has a limit. God is loving, but His love demands we not destroy ourselves and others with our unbounded selfishness, eroticism, and pride.

We lie to ourselves so much that if we are not very careful, we will lose the fear of God. If an Angel comes to me tonight, I hope the first thing I hear is: “Fear not!”

Mary might have been afraid of Angels, but she was told not to be afraid, but she might still have decided to disobey. Instead, Mary said the best thing any human can say: she was God’s slave and was willing to do His will.

Any human that would be free of nature, other men, or even himself must imitate Mary. Only the slaves of God can become children of God, because we begin as slaves to sin and sin will never set us free. We need a new master in order to have a new father. Even if we lived a perfect life, even if we were as blessed as Mary, we still must obey, because all of us must be delivered from bondage to the world, the flesh, and the devils.

Mary might have been afraid of devils, but she was not. No person submitted to God needs fear devils, because the darkness disappears before the Light. This Light is uncreated and so cannot be destroyed, it dispels be appearing. God’s servants need do nothing to chase away evil than to appear.

Mary might have been afraid of men, but she never was. She knew that men would judge, but she was fierce and powerful in her holiness. In her time, misogynists demeaned her womanhood while in our day we scoff at her virginity. She was a woman and she was a virgin. She had the power of chastity: not the absence of sex, but the presence of purity.

She became the ideal human, because she embraced God’s will.

Mary might have been afraid of society, but she did not care for the judgments of society. Her purity rebuked the lies about her character and the cosmic power that came from her obedience scoffs at any Earthly establishment. The dragon cannot prevail against the Mother of God, because she said “yes” to God. What social media judgements matters?

Mary feared God and having feared God did not ever have to be afraid again. Some claimed she was blessed for her “womb” or the ability to suckle the Lord Jesus, but the Angel called her blessed, happy, because she was good.

The Mother of God heard the Word of God and obeyed, becoming the first of many children of God. The Lord Jesus once reminded His listeners that any of us, even you and me, could become part of His holy Family. We need only hear the Word of God and obey and we shall be His brothers and sisters.

Today, now, join the Holy Family. Be a brother or sister of Jesus, a child of Mary and of God.

Will we say ‘yes?’ If so then the word of the Angel still sounds for humanity, for us, for even me:

“Fear not!”

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

September 29, 2020

On Debating

Next Post

September 30, 2020 Just Because We Like it Now: the Cautionary Tale of Abraham Cowley

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, making them blossom like this flower and fragrant like this tree. What plant and tree are mentioned?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Iris and cypress Lotus and palm Lebanon Cedar and Lilies Rose and olive

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »