Catholic News Service
Desolation and crisis come to all of us in life. Sorrow, depression, addiction, anxiety and loss are part of the human condition. At some time, we each face a low point.
Where do we turn in times of need? Sometimes, we need professional help. Always, we need community support and the arms of loved ones.
And in the midst of trouble, the believer finds a haven from the storm in Scripture. Most of us have our favorite passages, the place where consolation washes over us. Scripture helps us find peace in the presence of God and supports us in a moment of trouble.
Many scholars note that the most common phrase in the Bible is “Do not be afraid” and its variants.
The prophets used this phrase. Isaiah speaks in God’s voice: “Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God” (Is 41:10).
Angels always tell us not to fear, as an angel did when he told Joseph in a dream to take Mary as his wife. Even Jesus uses the phrase to calm our apprehension: Walking on the water in Matthew’s rendition, Jesus tells his terrified disciples, “Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.” And that’s just one of many times he urges us away from fear.
Perhaps it’s this mantra-like repetition of the phrase that makes it most consoling. Angels and prophets alike know that we mortals fall prey to terror and anxiety. Fear is so a part of our psychic makeup, and God, who is very aware of our distress, is ready to meet us there.
In Matthew, Chapter 6, Jesus provides beautiful reflections on worry: “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
And how many of us have found comfort in our sleepless hours visualizing Jesus calming the storm as his terrified disciples recoil from the pounding waves?
The message I’ve seen posted at a retreat center always seems to underscore this Scripture passage’s concern for our anxiety: “Sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.”
Each of us has special Scripture readings that offer safe harbor from trouble. For some, it may be the woman with the hemorrhage, touching the hem of Jesus’s garment and being cured. Others may find it peaceful to go with Jesus when he slips away in the early morning to find a quiet place and pray there.
The important thing is to return again and again to the passage that offers us the most help in times of need. This is where the Lord waits to comfort us.
God does not scold us for our fear or anxiety or trouble. God does not want us to approach Scripture with guilt, but rather with an acknowledgement of our dependency and our need.
Bring your fear to Scripture and do not be afraid.
Caldarola is a freelance writer and a columnist for Catholic News Service.
