Fears and Inconveniences
by Robert Pooley
Psalm 34:15-22 Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.
It is strangely comforting to me that in today’s gospel, Jesus really just didn’t want to do what he was being called to do. He was comfortably going about his business in Galilee while his brothers were going to celebrate at the Jewish Festival of Booths in Judea. The minor inconvenience was the Jews in Judea wanted his head on a platter and this had to be more than a little frightening. I believe just because Jesus had fears, agony and pain just like we do does not make him or us any less righteous. As today’s Psalm says, the Lord’s ears are open to our cry, and He delivers us from our troubles.
I think about how often we are called to do things that might be inconvenient or fearful and the different ways that we might respond in our own age of chaos. Do we react like a puppet directed by fear and whatever requires the least trouble or effort? Or do we respond from faith and love, striving for God’s call to righteousness? I’m sure we have all had a variety of responses to the everyday choices and burdens that God and lesser beings present us with.
Jesus did face his fears and inconveniences, went on to Judea, maybe with some feelings of reluctance, and faced the ones mocking him and trying to arrest him. Anonymous said “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.” Or maybe Jesus silently said that too. Jesus ultimately fulfilled the Lord’s plan. The Lord delivered Jesus, and He also delivers us from our troubles when we are faithful.
As Lent is certainly an opportunity for deeper prayer and discernment in realizing our callings, I hope to be more responsive with my whole heart in giving in actionable ways to God’s intentions, as Jesus did, and not giving way to fears and reluctance of being inconvenienced.
Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love. Grant us inspiration, courage, fortitude and endurance, sending us forth in love and Christian action to fulfill your purpose. Amen
Additional scriptures: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-24; Psalm 34:15-22; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30