FEAR DESTROYS FAITH.

 Tuesday 8, August 2023

Saint Dominic, Priest 

 on Tuesday of week 18 in Ordinary Time

First Reading. Numbers 12: 1-13

Psalm. 51: 3-7, 12-13 (R. see 3a)

Gospel. Matthew 14: 22-36

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION

 *THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO FAITH.* 

If you want to build your faith, expect less. 

If you expect less, your hope will become great, and fear of the unknown will become minimal if not completely diminished.

On the contrary, if your expectations in life are much, building your faith may become difficult, and your hope may not be great. Then, the fear of the unknown in you becomes strong.

This is what I mean by much or less expectations.

A person with too much expectation does not give room for the will of God to take place, he takes things to be a do-or-die affair, and such can make one desperate, and in being desperate, the fear of the unknown begins. Similarly, a person with much expectation does not give room for failure, and a person who does not give room for failure is bound to live in perpetual fear. The reason for the fear is that, if such does not achieve all his expectations, what comes is fear that leads to frustration and it will become more intense, and such is a stumbling block to building faith in God.

However, a person whose expectation is less, such a person may not become desperate, and one who is not desperate has little or no fear of the unknown existing in him. Such gives room for eventualities, the will of God, and failure. Such a person who gives room for eventualities is ready to restart again in case failure occurs, and fear of the unknown will not be found in the life of such a person. Attitudes of such help to build faith in God without any fear of the unknown.

Therefore, even though the fear of the unknown is a stumbling block to building faith in God, still, some of us, our faith is based on theory, while in reality, we are far from it. 

I term such as Faith by the mouth of the profession, but not Faith in action.

In many of us, the fear of the unknown has become rooted in our hearts and mind, while trusting God becomes very hard.

It seems some of us are Christians by words and not by action.

Although, it's easier to destroy faith than build it. In my experience on this journey of faith, what I have come to learn is that absolute trust help to build faith. Once we lack trust, faith may be difficult to build.

Such is the case of Peter in today's Gospel, his expectations were high that he never give room for eventualities.

Though one may argue that absolute faith does not need to give room for eventualities. 

I will state it categorically that absolute faith in God should give room for eventualities. The temptation which may come as a test of faith is part of the eventualities that may occur. Then, a person who does not prepare for any eventualities may fall if the test of faith should arise.  But someone who has prepared for such, will not be shattered if such should occur.

So, because Peter never prepared for any eventualities, he jumped on top of the water and when the wave came, he loses focus and begins to romance the fear of the unknown which gripped him, his high expectations of wanting to walk on the water like Jesus without preparation made him fail.

Do not blame Peter, it can happen to any of us, am sure some of us might have experienced such in one form or another.

The same high expectations were seen in Marian and Aaron who were expecting too much from Moses. They started scolding him, but being a faithful servant of God, God himself came to defend Moses and made Mariam a leper. Yet, Moses, being a just man still begged for her.

My dear friends in Christ, let our expectations in life be less, and give room for eventualities, to build a strong faith in God.

 *Peace ✌️ be with you* 

 *Rev. Segun Oladeji, CRS.* 

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