Men Don't Feel FEAR! □ Matt 14:22-33

I have to be honest,

I don’t like the saying, “Men don’t cry! Men don’t [feel] fear!”. Whoever says that I forget his/her name...

Oh, please, cut the “crap!”

Dude! Be honest... Human beings are by nature born with fear (actually, countless ones).

Fear is one of many characteristics human beings inherited (but surely not due to the bites of the forbidden fruit of the first two human beings).

Fear was ingrained in human blood on the first day of creation.

Fear was implanted in human souls when God created Adam then Eve.

Fear shows no prejudice, fear is not sexist, for both man and woman fear.

Fear of danger, fear of fire, fear of storm, fear of getting old (one's facial skin appears like an wizened apple leftover on the shelf in the kitchen for a long time).

Above all, fear of death.

At the moment one is confronted with mortality, one can measure the accurate level of one’s own humanness (LOL! You might have asked why LOL? Well, whether or not one is chicken is revealed at this special moment).

Fear! Oh, fear! I wish you have never been born.

Too bad! In spite of my own feelings, FEAR, you are a reality in my life, for I faced you when the Thai fishermen attacked my boat, the boat that had been drifting on the ocean for four days in our search for freedom of religion and speech.

I faced you, FEAR, when the fisherman violently attacked my brother with a sharp knife. It took place so quickly that I did not realize what was actually happening. My brother was standing on the bow of the tiny fishing boat. The very first fisherman jumped into our boat with a knife in his hand. The next thing I saw was that my brother collapsed onto the wooden floor of the boat, he screamed out loud, his two hands covered his face, and blood, much blood streamed out between his fingers. I, panicked at the unexpected tragedy to my loved one, burst into tears…

I faced you, FEAR, when confronted with my own mortality through a dream, a nightmare. In this horrible dream, I was reminded [by whom? I didn't know] of my morality. I woke up, my body was covered in perspiration. For the first time, I deeply realized and felt the threat of my own mortality. I never forget this dream! Oh! Life, my life! Too bad, it will not last for all eternity...

I faced you when the H. pylori bacterium (?) insidiously attacked my stomach… I was laughing with and talking to my friends on a crowded street in the old city of Jerusalem. Suddenly I couldn’t breathe anymore! My face became pale! Like a fish thrown out of the water I gasped for air. I couldn’t stand on my feet anymore! The strength ran out of my legs with muscles. Then I collapsed…

Even Jesus faced you, FEAR, in the Garden of Olives, He faced you so fully that he sweat blood.

And on the cross he screamed out loud, “Eli! Eli! Why have you forsaken me?” for death was smiling at Him…

Both male and female encounter your face, FEAR, while facing SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19 pandemic. It has been eight months already, the whole world is defeated by the novel Coronavirus. 

No wonder the disciples of Jesus faced you, FEAR, while their fishing boat was bombarded by the unexpected storm on the lake. The fishing boat was about to sink, human lives were about to be erased from the book of life.

Out of fear the disciples screamed out loud, “Help! Help!”

The small fishing boat was hit by huge tall waves.

The wind shook the boat violently.

One can hear the loud creaking sounds of the tiny boat,

The vicious storm did not cease, but rather escalates in intensity.

The fishermen were about to lose all hope.

Some said the final prayer to prepare their souls for the journey to see their Maker.

No more hope! Really!

Moment of despair!

Sad ending!

But, wait! Wait lang!

Hold on…

Don’t give up!

Don't surrender! I mean it!

At that moment of despair, from nowhere, a figure appeared on the scene: Jesus. And He says, “Fear not.”

The storm died out at once.

There were no more high waves!

There was no more strong wind!

All was quiet!

And above all there was no more fear!

Oh! Jesus!

“Fear not! Shalom/Peace! I am with you [amid the pandemic],” said Jesus!

Oh! How I love Jesus!

Because you are always with me in the stormy seas…!

Michael Nguyen SVD