Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
T he Church teaches us hopeful fear of the Lord from childhood on, as we learn to make the sign of the cross upon entering the Church, and genuflecting, and speaking quietly if we must. There are special places like churches and cemeteries where we behave differently. Every child of ten should know that.
And we learn from that lesson to discern the presence of God in fearful situations. That fear may be called faith. Upon learning of an impending disaster, a sobering diagnosis, or sudden change in one's fortune, we tell ourselves that "God is here."
I remember a situation which, being a young adult with limited experience of life, I found comical at the time. As I rode in the van with Dad at the helm, Mom beside him, and the ten of us in the back, as Dad was turning right off the highway, we heard the rumble of warning treads. They were something new to Kentucky's highways.
Dad said something in alarm about the old second-hand vehicle; and Mom immediately said something like, "It's okay, God will see us through." I knew what the sound meant -- with my vast experience of travel! -- but my folks did not.
I look back now, fifty years later, and remember with gratitude this young couple's habitual trust in God. If I knew about warning tracks I didn't know what they had learned through many years of paycheck to paycheck poverty.
Saint Luke describes the neighbors' reaction to the birth of John the Baptist as fear. They knew that God had a hand in the barren woman's pregnancy, Zechariah's mysterious silence, and the sudden freeing of his tongue. Only the child's prophetic parents could imagine what it might mean, as we shall hear tomorrow when Zechariah sings,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
We should anticipate Christmas with fear of the Lord. Call it reverence, devotion, or piety if you like; but it's demanding, immediate, and not to be deferred or ignored. God is here!
Something more important than me -- my feelings, needs, desires, or understanding -- is happening. We don't know what it means but we hope that...
when the Son of Man comes he will find faith on the earth. Luke 18:8
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.