12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Fr. Simham)

KNOW YOUR PHOBIAS

Once the Devil organized an exhibition cum sale to raise funds. He displayed his best weapons he uses to entice people away from God. The front row was filled with the seven capital sins. Pride, anger, jealousy, sloth, gluttony etc. Well decorated and exhibited. All prised above a million. Behind all these there was a small weapon which was covered up and the notice read ‘not for sale.’ All were curious like you and me to know which one it is. The devil in charge of the stall said, “it is the secrete but common weapon we use to keep men away from god.” Without it we cannot have access to men’s hearts. You know what it is? It is ‘Fear.’

The author C. S. Lewis wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters. “Screwtape” is the name of a very accomplished devil. Using any trickery he can turn people away from God. Now in this book he is writing letters to Wormwood giving advice how to turn people away from God. Wormwood is young novice devil, just learning the deceptive ways of devils.

In one of the letter, Screwtape writes to Wormwood, “keep them anxious, make certain they are worried about something.” Remind people about their fears.” Why this advice? Being a devil, Screwtape wants to get people so focused on their fears that they forget about God.

How true it is dear friend. If at all if there is one thing that is so dominating the hearts and minds of people it is fear or anxiety. Fear for life, health, wealth, security, love, acceptance, success and so on and so forth. Just go to the internet and search for the list of ‘phobias’. Hundreds and thousands you get in the list. They are so common and all-pervading that the devil finds it easy to use them to keep us tensed about those things that are trivial than being concerned about God and his kingdom.

It is this fear that keeps us away from professing our faith publicly and living our faith. Our teenagers sometimes are afraid to come to church because they are afraid that their peers group my laugh at them. Fear of losing the job may cause us to compromise our faith in the work place. We can go adding to this list.

Jesus knew the danger of this fear aspect in the life of his disciples and in the life of the kingdom he came to establish. So he fore-warns them about it. He uses many words of encouragement and truth to help his disciples to overcome this fear. He tells them “Do not be afraid. You are more worth than hundreds of sparrows. Not a single hair on your head falls without Father’s will.” So do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Just remember how helpful these words have been to the apostles themselves and the first Christians who have to face the persecutions; the swords of the be-headers, the lions in the colossium. Christianity would not have been what it is today if it is not for this courageous witness of these apostles and Christians. Blood of the martyrs was the seed of Christianity. If Christians were not to conquer their fear they would have conquered the world.

When the people of all other world religion are walking towards fundamentalism and fanaticism, sadly we Christians are walking towards secularism (which in itself is good) and a-theism (don’t bother about God or religion). I don’t know where we are headings towards. I say this not to encourage any evil- type of fanaticism but only to learn to give witness to our faith.

Do we have the courage to begin out work with the sign of the cross in the office? Do you say your grace before meal when you are in restaurants? As you are crossing the church in the street will you stop for a moment to bow are make the sign of the cross. I may sound absurd and ridiculous. But there is something which I want you to understand.

Today as we reflect on this gospel, let us try to identify what are the fears that are standing as block between us and God. know your phobias. What is going to happen is going to happen, what is not going to happen is not going to happen, then why to worry about the things that you have no control of. Leave it to the one who has control over it. Cling on to him strong in faith. Amen

Fr. Showreelu Simham