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Fear not

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” — Matthew 10:28

Climate of Fear

One of the things that characterize our present national situation is the climate of fear and anxiety. In the countryside, especially in areas where armed conflicts are going on, people are fearful for their lives. Who knows, they could be the next target of bombing or strafing or the next victims of massacre, salvaging, disappearances or simply caught in the crossfire of warring factions.

In the urban centers, people are also afraid for their lives due to rising tide of criminalities, even as life is becoming more and more difficult due to rising prices of basic commodities. Hold-ups and kidnaps-for-ransom continue. There was even a time when thousands marched on the streets of Metro-Manila to pressure the government into responding more seriously to the alarming trend of criminality in the dark streets of the Metropolis.

For who among us would not shudder in fear and anxiety if we would realize that those who are supposed to protect us are the ones committing crimes? Who among us would not be in fear for his life if even the last bastion of justice could be bribed?

Many sensational crimes remain unsolved simply because people are afraid to testify. For this reason, a law was passed to protect witnesses. But then, witnesses could also be for sale as some would claim! It is also out of fear that Congress had passed a death penalty bill to prevent people from committing heinous crimes.

The reign of fear and anxiety in many parts of our country is an indicator of a serious social malady we could not ignore.

People in Jesus’ time

The people in Jesus’ time were also living in a climate of fear and anxiety. First of all, the strict enforcement of Jewish Laws created in them the fear and anxiety of not being able to fulfill the requirements of the Law. Moreover, being colonized by the Romans, the people bore the burdens of Pax Romana or Roman Peace. It was a kind of peace founded not on love, compassion and justice, but on fear and terror of the cross. Those accused of destabilizing Roman Peace had to face the cruel cross.

However, Jesus has a beautiful message then and now for people, like us, who are living in a society characterized by fear and anxiety. He says, “Do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. What I am telling you in the dark, you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows”(Mt.10:26-31). 

Jesus said these things to his disciples after warning them that a time would come when they would experience sufferings and persecutions for the sake of the Gospel. In this very brief passage, Jesus said, “do not be afraid”, at least three times, which would mean that fearlessness is a distinctive mark of a disciple of Christ. 

Jesus’ Advice

There are at least three lessons that we could glean from this advice of Jesus that could help us live our lives in a climate of fear and anxiety. Firstly, Jesus is saying to us that we should not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; instead, we should be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell (vs.28).

Body and soul for the Jews are one. They do not separate the body from the soul, like some of us are doing. For them, the soul is no other than our inner life, our moral values and principles in life. Giving up our moral values and principles in life in exchange for money or something else is like selling our own soul.

Sometime ago, I was covering a rally of children of political detainees in front of Camp Aguinaldo. On one side of the streets were hundreds of soldiers armed to the teeth. Some of them mounted on tanks. On the other side were a group of small children, who were sons and daughters of political detainees. They were holding placards. One of their placards says: “Para n’yo nang awa, palayain na ninyo ang aming mga magulang.”

The scene was reminiscent of the Biblical story of David and Goliath. But far deeper than that, I saw in this scene two kinds of power, two kinds of life, and two kinds of death. On one hand, you have a kind of power based on armaments that kill; on the other hand, you have a kind of power founded on love and compassion that saves. On one hand, you have a kind of life ready to destroy other’s lives; on the other hand, you have a kind of life ready to set people free. On one hand you have a kind of death that destroys people’s bodies; on the other hand, you have the kind of death that goes beyond the grave.

In the Scriptures, to be afraid of God is to have compassion for the weak and powerless. On that scene in front of Camp Aguinaldo, it was not difficult for anyone to determine which side was afraid of God.

It was said that when John Knox, a Christian martyr and Protestant reformer in Scotland, was buried; an epitaph was written on his grave, which says: “Here lies one who feared God so much that he never feared the face of any one.”

Secret will be made known

Moreover, Jesus is also saying to us that whatever is now covered up will be uncovered and every secret will be made known and that what is said in secret will be announced in public (vs.26-27).
During Jesus’ time, people were blind to the truth. They were made to believe that there was really “peace” in the Roman Empire due to Pax Romana; and that the Roman Emperor was a benevolent ruler and the “lord” of all. This was the Empire’s propaganda that the people must swallow. People were made to accept that their sufferings were due to their own sins, and not because of oppression and exploitation of religion and politics.

However, Jesus’ life and teachings raised people’s consciousness to the truth that to them belongs the Kingdom of God. The healing of the sick, the recovery of sight to the blind, the setting free of the oppressed and sinners were concrete signs of God’s reign being inaugurated in their midst. Jesus’ message opened people’s eyes to the truth not only of their own social situation, but also to hope of a new nation founded on justice, love and compassion for the poor.

Jesus’ life and message revealed the truth of the Kingdom of God as well as the falsehood of the kingdom of this world. Thus, the powers-that-be killed his body on the cross, but they could never kill his soul.

The art of deception is one of the things politicians then and now have mastered to their own benefits. This was shown in the latest Gallup Poll International Survey, wherein most people in the world think politicians are dishonest. The crisis of leadership we are experiencing in our country today stemmed from this reality. Our leaders have mastered the art of covering up the truth. Many people think that our leaders are not really true to their word. They say one thing, but do another thing.

However, historical experiences show us that the truth would always come out in the fullness of time. Truth may be covered up for a moment, the bearers of truth maybe arrested, imprisoned, or even killed; but the truth has a way of coming out to set people free and open up new directions in life. This is our living hope in times like this.

More Worthy Than the Sparrows

Finally, Jesus is also saying to us that we should not be afraid because everything in this world is in God’s hands, and that we human beings are far more important than anything else, far more important than the many sparrows in the skies (vs.29-31).

This reminds me of the experience of a little girl named Diwa, the daughter of a former political detainee in Bicutan, Marianito Canonigo. It was Christmas time when Diwa was scheduled to take her first communion. Her Christmas wish was unique and simple. She wanted her father to be with her on the day that she was scheduled to take her first communion. Her mother, who was probably used to disappointments tried to tell her child that her wish might not come true. Strange, but true it was the child who comforted the mother. 

Diwa’s mother tried to prepare her daughter for the inevitable disappointment. She had worked so long and so hard to have her husband released, but to no avail. Her husband was still in prison.  

But Diwa is a child who seemed to put all her trust, hope and faith in her God. She seemed to be certain that her God would listen to her Christmas wish and make it come true. Perhaps, because she thought as a child, she did not see things the way others saw them. She did not think about working on her father’s release papers. She was not discouraged when she saw tears welling up in her mother’s eyes. She just wished, and hoped and prayed to her God, and always, it seemed she remembered to comfort her mother.  

And even from her God, she asked for so little. For her father to be with her on her communion day, and for her father to be with her and her mother during the Christmas season. How could a child have so much faith? How could a child ask for so little? Even a child could have asked for more!

Christmas came and Diwa’s wish was granted. She had gotten more than she asked from her God. Her father was granted a pass to enable him to be with his child on her communion day. On Christmas day, her father was with her and her mother. Not only that, he stayed for one more day. That was enough to make this little girl happy.

What a lovely thing it was that happened to a little girl named Diwa, a child who wished for so little from her God. It is said that Diwa’s God listens and reaches out to creatures and touches their hearts. This is what Diwa must believe. Now, if only Diwa’s God will touch again the hearts of people in the same manner, perhaps those who are still engulfed with loneliness and isolation behind bars will once again breathe the air of freedom.

Diwa’s God is our God, the God who listens to the cries of His people. We do have the courage and hope to face the future, because we know that God is with us. Jesus Christ our Lord says: “Do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!” (Mt.10:31). #

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