Monday of Holy Week ~ Do Not Be Afraid

April 14, 2025

I keep a stack of notecards with quotations on them that have touched me over the years. Today’s message is, “Do not be afraid,” mentioned as early as the Book of Genesis when God makes a covenant with Abraham all the way through scripture to the Book of Revelation: “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (1:17).

Fear permeates the air in the gospel reading assigned for this day, the story about Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ sister, anointing Jesus’ feet with a pound of expensive ointment. When questioned by Judas about the wasteful cost, Jesus replies, “Leave her alone. It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial” (John 12:7). Jesus is already aware of how his ministry and journey are going to end: he is going to be killed. The chief priests are outside plotting and planning to do away with him, and possibly Lazarus, as well. (12:10)

As I reflect on all that will happen this week, and all that happened during the three years of Jesus’ ministry, I wonder how many times he repeated to himself, “Do not be afraid.”  Do not be afraid to be myself.  Do not be afraid to speak out when I need to. Do not be afraid to speak the truth in the face of injustice and power even when friends disappear. Do not be afraid to demonstrate love despite ridicule. Do not be afraid to show compassion even if ostracized. I suspect since Jesus was fully human, “Do not be afraid” became his mantra.

Fear is different from concern. We’d be inhuman if we didn’t practice concern for others or our own well-being. But fear can immobilize us where we do nothing. Fear can cause us to stick our heads in the sand, refusing to face the truth of a situation until it plows over us. Fear can still our tongues so that we passively agree to all the wrong-doing around us, becoming complicit in that wrong-doing. Fear makes us less than who we were created to be.

Jesus surely experienced fear, but he did not allow fear to define him. He took to heart all those many passages in the Hebrew scriptures that commanded him not to fear and instead he placed his trust in God, living as the messenger he was created to be.

With all the reasons for fear around us, this Holy Week I am placing “Do Not Fear” in my heart. I am breathing “Do Not Fear” in and out. I am waking up with those words on my lips and saying them before I go to sleep. If Jesus Christ could walk to the cross being true to himself, then maybe I can have the courage to be true to myself and what I believe, as well.

Blessings,

Rosemary

Photo: Pixabay