” But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise and have no fear.’” – Matthew 17:7

My Dear Friends in Christ:

It is a joy to offer the following reflection to you – praise be Jesus Christ now and forever! Several years ago, I had a wonderful opportunity to do something that very likely I will never have the occasion to do again in my life: I embarked as a passenger on a hot air balloon ride! For two hours, along with my pilot, we sailed over the beautiful green and gold fields of northwest Ohio, over the homes and farms of many of my parishioners. It was a once in a lifetime experience!

All the while I was awestruck by the beauty and calmness of the world as we glided along hundreds of miles in the air. After this fantastic experience, the question I was asked most by family members and parishioners was: “Were you afraid?” Truth be told, for the first minute or so as the balloon ascended there was an initial sense of fear, but it was soon replaced by an overwhelming spirit of calm and gratitude, as I was in awe of the incredible profundity of God’s creation!

But given our imperfect human nature, we are all afraid, in different ways, and at different times in our lives. What are the fears, worries, and anxieties that we bring before the Lord? Perhaps we are facing a major life decision; maybe we are concerned about our family and loved ones. Maybe there is a health issue or deeply personal issue that we bring before the Lord.

Whatever the fear, we take confidence in the words of Jesus who calms our fears and promised that He will be with us always. Our compassionate Savior took on fear by conquering our greatest fear: the fear of death. And in a profound act of love and sacrifice, the resurrection of Jesus demonstrates that there’s truly something stronger than our fears – and stronger than death!

Although fear is a part and parcel to our earthly journey, the Lord’s mercy and peace is our rock
and foundation. Far more powerful than our fear, than sin, than evil, is the incredible love of our
compassionate Lord. Whatever fear we bring to the King of Glory, let us experience Him reaching out into the depth of our fears, touching our hearts, and boldly proclaiming: “Rise, and have no fear.”