Fear Not!

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In the last 30 years, we have become accustomed to using a phrase that
originated from the 1986 movie, The Fly, as a way of expressing light hearted
warning: be afraid, be very afraid.
This has almost become a way of life for us in the 21st century. At
practically every turn we are cautioned to be afraid of something. Be afraid of the
city, of the nighttime, of crowds. Be afraid of communists, terrorists, and
extremists. Be afraid of climate change, of impending natural disasters, and of
nuclear energy in all forms. Fear is wielded as a weapon to motivate us to action.
When we are afraid we react. We react with fight or flight its how we are
wired.
Mary was afraid of an unknown future as an unwed mother should she
react with a fight or by fleeing? The shepherds were afraid that the message
they were about to receive was bad news Run away! Instead, the word of God
that came to Mary, to the shepherds, and comes to us at Christmas, is from the
mouths of angels: Fear not. Fear not. No matter how many forces are trying to
agitate you and goad you into fighting or fleeing, the message Fear Not reminds
us there is a grander trajectory of the world and of human life that is in the
embrace of divine love.
We are not people who live in denial of the realities of life, but we are a
people who can respond rather than react to the news around us. Fear Not gives
us pause. It gives a moment to stop, reflect, and ponder what our response will
be a thoughtful, loving response, not a reaction in the moment. It is a way of
being modeled by Jesus throughout his life.

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 In our world today, there are 60 million people who have been displaced
from their homes because of war, genocide, gang violence, famine and ideological
mayhem. We are cautioned, be afraid, be very afraid of the stranger seeking
asylum. We are pushed to react instead of respond to the plight of people like
our ancestors who sought safety and hope. The message of the angels/ the Word
of God assures us to Fear Not. Pause and ponder: What is the thoughtful and
loving response?
Last week a congregation member texted me a picture of a nativity scene
(Mary, Joseph, the baby, taking shelter in the barn) with the cynical caption: If
only we had a seasonally appropriate story about Middle Eastern people seeking
refuge, being turned away by the heartless. The story of millions of people is
encapsulated in the journey of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. First they were turned
away from shelter, and soon after, they were forced to take refuge in Egypt, in
Africa, to escape King Herods fear-filled rampage against the male infants in the
region of Bethlehem.
Every time we receive a stranger in need, every time we volunteer our time
with Family Promise to help families seeking permanent housing, every time we
open our doors and our borders, we are re-enacting the Christmas story, and
declaring boldly to the world, the message from God we know to be true, Fear
Not! I bring you tidings of great joy for ALL PEOPLE.