Stop Being Afraid

It’s very difficult to live life on the upbeat all the time. Some days we are exhausted and even trying to be upbeat is close to impossible. Some days we are so burdened with grief or beaten down by illness or physical pain that we despair their will ever come a day when we could even smile again. Many are dealing with the loss of jobs, the failure to find a job after months of looking, or the impossibility of trying to make meager financial sources stretch to cover expenses, maybe even facing homelessness due to failure of adequate income. Some days we just want to go into our own room, close and lock the doors and suffer in silence.

That’s sort of the place the disciples found themselves after the death of Christ (See John 20:19-31). They went to a house and closed and locked the doors afraid for their lives, despairing over the lost vision of a happy future with their now dead leader. Even when Mary came to bring the news that she had seen Christ alive they didn’t change their behavior much. Later in the day Jesus appears to them, even breathes his holy spirit into them, but what do they do after that experience? A week later we find them still hiding behind closed and locked doors when Jesus comes again. Jesus told them “Peace be with you.” In other words, “Stop being afraid!”

It’s hard to change our behavior and our perceptions of life even when we are looking square into the face of a miracle. We linger in the past, hesitant to move on into the future, even when the future seems so bright and full of hope. I once asked a depressed friend why she kept herself hidden away in her home and refused to engage with those who loved her and wanted her to heal and return to a productive life again. She said, “I’m comfortable here. No one bothers me. No one is asking me to do anything or go anywhere. I like being left alone.” I also suspect she was afraid to face the unknown of life beyond her home where you never know what is going to happen to you. It’s safe living behind closed and locked doors, even if you have few opportunities for real living.

But just like the disciples, Jesus won’t leave us alone in our despair. Jesus keeps coming back into our lives again and again bringing hope and a vision for a future full of possibilities and life. Jesus wants to give us a New Life in God’s New Community with our New Chosen Family of faithful friends. Sometimes we feel Christ’s presence as no more than a nagging feeling to get up and open the door to our heart, to our life and let others come back in to be with us. Sustained by their love and care we again are able to think about moving beyond the closed doors and back out into life.

The disciples took the challenge Christ gave them. They moved beyond the closed and locked doors and out into their city and eventually across the Roman Empire and ultimately we are the living witness to their faithful witness of Christ’s Love for all people everywhere.

Why don’t you take the challenge this week: Unlock and open the doors to your life. Stop being afraid. Take the Peace that Christ offers. Stop being afraid! Begin to enjoy life again. Begin to move out into the world sharing the Love of Christ with all you meet. It’s at least something to think about.