Instead of fear, believe

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the 5^th Sunday of Easter

May 22, 2011

As we live our daily life with all the challenges and sometimes the pains it brings, one thing we need to hear is what Jesus says in the beginning of today’s gospel, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God; have faith also in me” (John 14: 1). As we experience the many storms that life brings from time to time, Jesus tells us not to fear instead believe in his Father and in him as well.

The storms of life simply speaking are those things that inconvenience us. They are those life’s experiences that bring us to tears. They trouble us and sometimes can lead to a loss of interest in life itself. The storms of life keep us sleepless at night. In extreme situation they lead some people to depression. They are those life’s experiences that make people ask questions like “God, where are you?” “God, why me?” Lord, why must I suffer?” “God, have you abandoned me?” The storms of life can come in different fashions. Sometimes they come unannounced and when we least expect them. These storms of life can be emotional, psychological, spiritual, material etc. No matter one’s state of life, storms are unavoidable. From time to time, we experience one form of storm or the other. Some people even experience more than one storm at the same time. When one is confronted by the storms of life, how he or she handles it will go a long away in determining how long the storm will last. If handled wrongly, it can lead to another storm thereby multiplying the person’s misery. This is the reason why many people go through life carrying all forms of storms without any end in sight.

Though crisis stare us in the face, Jesus says, “Do not let your heart be trouble; instead have faith in God and in him.” Instead of focusing all our attention in problems, let’s focus our attention in what the Lord can do. Keep your eyes fixed in Jesus.

It is good to sometimes think about what we have been through in life, what life has offered us. It is good sometimes to even cry for all the pains and misery we have had in life. But after all the thinking and crying let’s remember to stop at the foot of our Lord. Let’s remember to pour all our tears before his feet and make all the grieving before him. Crying and moaning before Jesus is also a form of prayer. Remember, Jesus too wept.

We are often told to prepare for disaster- to have food, water and communication plans. I would like you to have such a plan so that if something were to happen we would not be caught unaware. But Jesus would want us to do something other than take the future into our hands. He wants us to entrust our lives into God’s hand and into his hands.

Jesus also says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The Lord is saying that he is not one of the many alternatives, but that he is the answer.

Our Redeemer doesn't offer us a map, a set of directions and a compass. Jesus offers himself. The way is personal - Jesus is the way. The truth is personal - Jesus is the truth. The life is personal - Jesus is the life. You will find life not in propositions but in a person - a particular person - Jesus of Nazareth who came to announce and inaugurate the worldwide reign of God. This Jesus is the friend of the saints and sinners. He came not to condemn the world - not even his enemies - but that the world in general and those at odds with God in particular would be reconciled by his self-giving love. Jesus is the one who heals the broken-hearted without regard to eligibility, who opens his arms to the vulnerable, to lepers, and to all those on the margins. This Jesus is the one who does not foreclose anyone.

The astonishing good news of the gospel is that God has opened the way to life through the living Christ who invites us to cast our selves on him. We gain life by believing him, by following his way and by trusting him more than all the powers of this world. This is the boundless generosity of God. This Jesus invites us to be free from fear. Instead of fear, believe in him. Instead of anxiety, hope in God. Instead of cynicism, have faith in him.