Fear, Fear, And More Fear

   Can anyone tell me just what it is with human beings that we appear to live in fear so often throughout our lives? We are afraid of getting sick, of getting lost, of losing family and friends, of failure, of death, of life, of, well, you get the idea!
   This weekend’s readings address this whole topic of fear as well.
   In the first reading, Isaiah blurts out, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” This was after Isaiah had a vision of the Lord. One of the Seraphim flew to Isaiah with a burning ember, touched his lips, and told him that his sin had been purged.
   Immediately afterwards, Isaiah heard the Lord say, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”
   Isaiah’s response?
   “Here I am. Send me.”
   Again, in the Gospel, Peter met the Lord in a display of power. Peter’s response was to exclaim, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
   Jesus told Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
   Peter’s response?
   He left family and business behind and followed the Lord.
   Fear is a terrible thing and has awful consequences. Living in constant fear, people can develop ulcers, high blood pressure, heart conditions. Their personalities change, usually for the worse. They become suspicious, timid, excitable.
   We would do anything to escape fear.
   There is one who can release us from fear: Jesus Christ.
   As He releases us from the bondage of fear, He asks us to follow Him in a new direction in life.
   If our response is like Isaiah’s “Here I am. Send me.” or like Peter’s response of leaving all behind to follow Christ, we can rest assured that He will take care of us.
   The going may not be easy. We may still face difficulties in our lives. We may still be in danger. We may still find ourselves in peril.
   However, the danger, peril, and/or difficulties will be easier to face because God will set us free from the fear that often accompanies those circumstances.
   Tired of living in fear?
   Give yourself over to the Lord today!