Rev. Jane R. Dunning

The words, “fear not” appear more than 300 times in the bible. As God, or God’s messenger, approaches a human, these two words often the first form of address. We are a fearful, anxious, worrisome part of God’s creation. The list of human phobias is long and complex, but many psychologists say these are all derived from 5 essential human fears... 

Fear of extinction, which includes the fear of death... That panicky feeling when you look over the edge of a high building is an example. This is a primal fear that we share with most of God’s creatures 
Fear of mutilation, or serious bodily harm, fear of anything that would harm our body or its function. Again, this is a primary fear for our survival. Fear of separation can be fear of abandonment, rejection, loss of connection with others. This can be fear of being unwanted, not respected, or not valued. This can be fear of the loss someone we love. Fear of loss of autonomy, fear of being paralyzed, restricted, fear of loss of control.And number five is one they call fear of “ego death.” This is the fear of humiliation, of shame, of anything which causes profound self- disapproval, loss of any sense of self-worth. This is what we see when our young people are the victims of bullying... Sadly this is often the cause of suicide. 

These are the five basic human fears, and all other types of “phobias” can be placed under these five... 
And how does fear affect us? First of all there is the primary reaction of fight or flight. To this, currently doctors are adding the word “freeze.” As they work with those who have suffered a traumatic event, they find that some people react by totally freezing... unable to cope in any way. 

Fear makes us selfish... Our basic reaction is to think only of ourselves and those close to us. This can be a form of emotional freezing... It makes us unable to interact with those around us. Fear makes us unresponsive... our mind is frozen and we cannot face the situation in any kind of creative way. We cling to old patterns and old reactions... another form of freezing. This form of mental freezing makes us short-sighted and unable to find a way out of the current situation. 

In the passage from Luke’s gospel we have a member of the crowd asking Jesus to make sure that he gets his share of the family inheritance. This could be tied to a basic survival fear of not having enough to sustain life, but Jesus refuses to become embroiled in what is clearly a family argument about money, not about survival. 

Jesus tells the story of the rich man who had everything anyone could want for his survival and for the future... Oh, he said I will build bigger barns and store more goods, I will make more money, have more things, just for the pleasure of knowing I have them... 

Jesus says “Take care. Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." 

Fear of not having enough for survival is a valid and an important fear, but when the response to that fear becomes the accumulation of wealth and possessions as an end to itself, it has become greed... 

If normal fears can freeze us and cause us to become self-absorbed at a time of crisis, Greed will do this even more so. Greed focuses only on the self. The accumulation of wealth becomes more important than anything else, and Greed will not allow for any focus on the needs of others. Greed is not aware of the needs of the community, and Greed is not able to function well with others. Let greed rule your life and it becomes the god that you worship, the golden calf that you cherish. 

'And God says, to the rich man, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God." 

“For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions...” 

We can be rich in money or property but if we focus with greed on those riches, we will not be able to make the connections with others that our spirit needs to thrive. If we keep a clenched fist to protect what we have, we will never be able to reach out with open hands to others and include them in our lives.. 

We have a choice. We can live our lives with fear and a clenched fist, or we can take the risk of opening our hand and reaching out to embrace the world around us. 

I am beginning to realize that my contacts with those I meet along my journey add a vast wealth of richness to my life. Perhaps this is what life is all about... Those very special connections that we form, even day by day, enrich our lives beyond belief. 

For each of us, may God help us to engage the world around us and to celebrate the connections, even when they are difficult. Help us to be fully present and to live in the moment, and help us to more fully love and appreciate our neighbor. 

I want to close with a little piece by Australian commentator, Michael Leunig. He draws isolated little boxes, scattered across the page, each holding a tiny figure. The walls on the boxes are high, so that none of the tiny people can see the others... Each tiny person is totally isolated. 
Then he writes the following: 

Dear Lord, help us to choose love. 
Amen. ​

The seventy returned with joy…
What is Joy?  What feeling does that bring to mind?
French philosopher and Jesuit priest, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin offers this definition:
“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” 

Where have I seen joy?
I have seen it in the eyes of my giggly grandchildren when we spend time together.
I have seen it in the eyes of friends and strangers when there is a warm and loving greeting.
I have seen it in the embrace of friends and family when a loved one comes home at last.
It is a warmth that overflows, and a sense of peace deep within..
It is the feeling gratitude for the unexpected blessings that brighten our day
It is the feeling of being truly blessed…
True joy is far deeper than just the happiness of the moment…
True joy is a sign that the Kingdom of God has come near.  
The word used in the original Greek gospel is “chara”
The Greek word “chara” means the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord, which is then expressed by love for others…
Jesus sent out the seventy, two by two, into the surrounding villages to be bearers of his message of Gods abiding Love…   
He blesses them and sends them with just the clothes on their backs and the company of each other. They have no change of clothing, no supplies, not even an extra pair of sandals…  They have no publicity, no audio system, no loudspeakers, none of today’s fancy paraphernalia.  
They carry nothing but the presence of God as they go out on their mission.  
Just two by two, out into the world.  Wherever they go, they are to say, The Kingdom of God has come near.”
Jesus has come to know these men, and they have felt the deep calling to follow him, to learn from him, to let him into their hearts and their deepest longings. 
 He knows their gifts and empowers them to take these gifts to spread the word of God’s love, Gods healing, and Gods peace.  
They have a found, within themselves, a deep calling to proclaim the gospel, the good news, and they are now taking the first steps of that journey…  
I believe strongly that each of us has been given our own personal gifts, gifts that are our strength, those gifts which will bring blessing to those we meet along the way. 
For many years, I was a teacher, first in Kindergarten, then in First Grade…  I loved the job, I loved the kids, and thought that this was the best fit for me.  
When I started teaching, back in 1988, there were no ordained women in the Episcopal Church.  In fact, there were no women or girls on the altar, no girl acolytes, no girl crucifers. Women were only serving behind the scenes, serving as the altar guild, choir, and ushers…  Never on the altar.  
On July 28, 1974, eleven women were ordained to the priesthood in Philadelphia, without the official approval of the church, and there was much furor and controversy. Two years later, in 1976, General Convention approved the ordination of women.  Now it was official.
 Later this month, we will celebrate 45 years since these eleven women were ordained to the priesthood…  
This change had a significant impact on the church. It has also had an impact on my life personally, on my sense of who I was and where God was calling me.  Fifteen years later, I was ordained deacon and then priest.   
As I look back on my life I am amazed at the opportunities I have been given and the amazing joy that I known in my ministry.. 
Each of us has a calling to ministry.  Sometimes it may take years to discover the ministry that brings us the deepest satisfaction, that brings us joy.
God calls each of us out to be bearers of God’s love and healing power, using our gifts in service to others, in whatever way fits our strengths and brings us joy.  As Jesus sent the seventy out into the countryside in witness to Gods Love, so we are called to follow…  not alone,  but in twos or threes or even more…  
May God bless each of us in our ministry, and like the seventy, may your journey bring you joy.
May you find joy, in the words of the poet, John O’Donohue:

Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.

As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity by lightened by grace….

Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.

May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of god.”
Amen…

Note:  John O'Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings