There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love I John 4:18
This is Holy Week. It started with Palm Sunday, and it will end, of course, with Easter Sunday. This annual church liturgical calendar is important and reassuring. Liturgy gives us a sense of predictability in a world that is anything but predictable. Year after year, we are reminded of the great story of redemption and love that the cross, and ultimately the Resurrection, provides.
This also is a reminder of how quickly people can go from praising Jesus as Messiah to calling for his death just a few days later. Of course, the Roman and Jewish leaders were instrumental in finding a way to dispose of Jesus who posed a threat to the established religious hierarchy. Jesus did as he said- he came to fulfil the law, not to abolish it. Those who put him to death were driven by fear, because Jesus represented something that they did not yet comprehend. Their response to something they feared? Simply kill it.
Fear is a dangerous emotion. It can cause people to react violently when they are threatened- or even think they are threatened. The misunderstanding of the message of Jesus caused the authorities to be fearful of loss of power. His message of love was completely overwhelmed by the power of fear.
I trust that we pay attention in our own turbulent times to that message. Perfect loves casts out fear.
Reflections of a Counselor 