12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN MANY SPARROWS

HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM

We all experience fear.

When we were at the Universal Studios, we were at that point of the tour where sound effects were recorded and synchronized with a movie. The emcees asked for volunteers. Many hands were raised. I thought to myself: "If we were in the Philippines, you would be lucky to see 5 hands raised." Why this? We are either shy or afraid. We are afraid of making a fool of ourselves. We are afraid of not performing good enough.

When I was a Catechist, I used to bring the boys to Batulao for their retreat. I would sleep near the door so that in case someone needed to go to the CR at night but was afraid, he could wake me up.

I read of a US soldier who was stationed in Korea during the Vietnam war. He was afraid that he might be shipped out there. So he fled to North Korea.

More tragic was the case of a young man who hanged himself because he was afraid his father might get to know about the overseas phone bills he accumulated at his uncle's office because of phone sex.

The effects of fear

In the face of a perceived threat, our natural emotional reponse is fear. Fear makes us pause. It enables us to examine the situation and decide whether to flee or fight. The goal is self-preservation.

When I was still studying theology at UST, I saw a college student running as fast as his feet could carry him. There was fear written all over his face. He was probably running away from someone who was out to hurt him.

But fleeing does not have to mean running away. It could also mean hiding. Last time I heard, Atty. Ong is in hiding.

Dealing with fear

Sometimes we are the ones who scare ourselves. Some of us refuse to speak in public. Why? Because we tell ourselves that we might say something wrong and get embarrassed. The solution is to silence the negative dialog that goes on in our heads.

Another strategy is to ask ourselves: "What is the worst thing that can happen?" The answer might be something that we can live with. For example, I am afraid of praying before meals when I eat lunch with my colleagues. I ask myself: "What is the worst thing that can happen?" Answer: "They might remark that I am being too holy." Question: "Can I live with that?" Answer: "Yes."

Another strategy is to look at fear straight in the eye. I admit that I am afraid of the needle. Before I would turn away when the nurse would insert the needle to get blood for testing. Then one day I decided to look at fear straight in the eye. I forced myself not to turn away. I looked as the nurse inserted the needle into my vein.

The best strategy, however, is to have faith in God. Jesus tells us today: "Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

When St. Dominic Savio was a small boy he used to walk to school alone. A farmer who often see him trudge the road many time asked him one day: "Aren't you afraid to walk alone." And Dominic answered: "No. I have my guardian angel with me." Even at such a young age, Dominic believed in a God who was so concerned about his safety that he gave him a guardian angel to watch over him.

Conclusion

Many people have the mistaken notion that brave people are those who do not feel afraid. If you ask them you will be surprised to discover that they too experience fear. But what they do is to act in spite of their fears.

For those who believe that God is good to them, that is enough to act in spite of their fears.