It’s o.k., it’s o.k.!

When as a child you made your initial  bid for independent living, your first encounter with the kitchen table usually resulted in a nasty bump on the forehead! So, your first fear was born. The table received a slap from a strong adult, a reprimand: “bold table” and a kiss on the forehead soon had all right again.

People still live in fear, fear of the unknown, fear of being abandoned, fear of change, fear of sickness, fear for ourselves or fear for others. Depending on childhood memories, some people even have a fear of loving or being loved.

You can have two reactions to fear -  fight or flight. Fight is to become traumatized, angry or aggressive and flight is to escape into the addiction of work, distraction or pre-occupation. The greatest fear of all, of course, is the fear of death.

You and I need to hear the words from childhood again today: “It’s o.k.”  A God who once heard the apostles cry out in fear hears us and says: “Take heart. It is I. Have no fear.” Today in the gospel he simply says: “Do not be afraid.” It’s o.k. It’s o.k.

Fr. Michael McCullagh, C.M.