Advent I: Fear not!

What words to begin the Advent journey, or any journey for that matter! They accept what we so often try to hide: fear is everywhere. We devote our lives to avoiding things that scare us, denying fear as our constant companion, and smiling as if all is well.

Some of us use wives, husbands, children or friends as pillows to protect us from the sharp edges of fear.

Others maintain full to-do lists at work or home to keep life’s pace moving fast enough to distract us from the still, small voice that longs to speak. Afraid of what we might hear, we turn up the soundtracks of our lives and work relentlessly.

Still others turn to more harmful methods to avoid or deny fear, but, in the end, fear is a patient foe and will wait until all methods of avoiding it are exhausted.

This is not new. We are not unique. In fact, the Christian story begins by naming the number one obstacle to new life: fear. To enter the story, we are told along with Mary to fear not. Easier said than done, I know, but God understands the crippling and stifling nature of fear. God knows how many novels haven’t been written, works of art not created, opportunities not seized all because of fear.

As it has been written, we are driven by a hundred forms of fear and cannot find our true selves until we put aside our fears and trust something, or someone, greater than those fears. It is then, and only then, that new life can come into the world.

Mary came to understand that.

So can we.