Parish Novena to the
Holy Spirit
Day Eight: Saturday 30th
May 2020
The Gift
of Fear of the Lord
Language is so
important. It allows us to communicate with others and make ourselves
understood. Every word and phrase conveys meaning and purpose. Context is
essential in the dynamics of language because it is in context that words
reveal their true definition. Think of ‘Hair’ and ‘Hare’. Both
words are spelt differently and refer to two separate things yet when
pronounced aloud both words sound the same in the English language. The context
in which these two words are spoken is key to distinguishing which ‘Hare’
fights in the moonlight and which ‘Hair’ has turned grey in worry. The
word ‘office’ is another word that needs context to help define what it
is referring to. There is the office of authority, role and position that an
individual holds or there is the physical structure like a building which a
person works in. ‘Love’ in English is another problematic word that
needs context to fully appreciate its meaning and to understand what it’s
trying to express. ‘I love chocolate’ and ‘I love my children’
both convey two different values while using the same word ‘love’. The
love of a sweet is very different and superficial compared to a parent’s love
of their own flesh and blood.
Where is all
this talk of words leading? Well, the Holy Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord
can appear a daunting present from God, one that anyone would be reluctant to
receive. It has the word Fear in after all. However, once we understand its
true meaning then we see that it’s a wonderful gift to have. Fear of the Lord
is not about being scared and living in terror of God but about holding Him in
deep reverence which in turn affects our behaviour towards Him and the world.
Another translation for this gift of the Spirit is, ‘The Gift of Awe and
Respect of the Lord.’ This translation takes away the negativity of the
old Fear which has been corrupted in modern usage and gives us a clearer
understanding of this last gift of the Holy Spirit.
In 1893, Edvard
Munch painted his infamous masterpiece known as ‘The Scream’.
The bright rich
and vivid colours Munch used do not hide the stark sense of hopelessness in the
painting. The screaming figure, with gaping mouth and hands held against its
skeletal deathly pained face emphasises a doom and fated existence. There are
various theories about the inspiration behind the painting. Some say Munch
reflecting on his sister’s recent committal to a mental health hospital and
others that his subconscious was thinking about the violent eruption of a
volcano. The fear portrayed in ‘The Scream’ is paralysing. There is a sense of
being stuck in an eternal moment with no future, no hope in sight. The build up
of worry and angst bursts out in the never ending scream that turns the skies
blood red. The painters inner fears are expressed on canvas.
The Fear of the
Lord conveys the complete opposite to the message conveyed by Edvard Munch. The
Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord empowers an individual to move towards God,
to walk in the direction of life and in so doing destroys the paralysis of Fear
which roots us to the ground. We have all heard of the phrase ‘Scared Stiff’,
an encounter of such terror that it takes our life away and rigor mortis, the
pallor of death settles in. The Fear of the Lord counters this by enlivening us
into action, godly and holy action.
The Bible is
full of examples of people facing imminent danger and life threatening
challenges and yet because of the Holy Spirit’s gift of Fear they move from
danger and threat to peace, the peace of God. Take the heroic midwives found in
the Book of Exodus.
‘The king of Egypt then spoke to the
Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other Puah. ‘When you
midwives attend the Hebrew women,’ he said ‘watch carefully. If it is a boy,
kill him; if a girl let her live.’ But the midwives were God-fearing: they
disobeyed the command of the king of Egypt and let the boys live...God was kind
to the midwives...Since the midwives reverenced God he granted them descendants.’ (Ex 1:15-16, 20a -21)
Shiphrah and
Puah are ordered by their Pharaoh, their ruler to kill all boys who pose a
threat to him. They disobey not for any political motivation but solely because
they ‘were God-fearing’. This gift of Fear of the Lord reveals
the strength these women were given to love and to put their love into action.
They would have been aware of the consequences of defying Pharaoh but love
conquers all fear. This courageous love, this hardy and persevering love is part
of the Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord. The blessing of God for these two
midwives, because of their love and God-fearing behaviour, was that they were
blessed with their own children.
Saint Frances
Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917) is another example of the gift of Fear of the Lord
working through someone and producing the fruits of love and holiness for the
greater good of the world.
The story goes
that she fell into a lake when she was seven years old and nearly drowned. The
incident was traumatic and left her with a lifelong fear of water. So later on
in life when she approached the Pope to ask his approval for a new religious
order of missionaries to China, she had hoped to travel over land. Instead, the
Holy Father sent her to America which meant travel by boat on the Atlantic
Ocean - a very large mass of water indeed! Saint Frances Cabrini was unwilling
to let her fears stand in the way of the salvation of souls, so she climbed
aboard a ship because the love of God was more powerful and more life giving
than the fear of water and her past trauma. She would make over two dozen
transatlantic trips that would take en route to becoming the first American
saint.
The Fear of the
Lord is not a gift where we live in shaking terror of God, but a gift that
draws out our love and devotion to Him that expresses itself in action and
unselfish living!
Veni Creator Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator come,
From your bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all your own.
You who are called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The living spring, the living fire,
Sweet unction, and true love!
You who are sevenfold in your grace,
Finger of God's right hand,
His promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!
O guide our minds with your blessed
light,
With love our hearts inflame,
And with your strength which never
decays
Confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our hellish foe
True peace unto us bring,
And through all perils guide us safe
Beneath your sacred wing.
Through you may we the Father know,
Through you the eternal Son
And you the Spirit of them both
Thrice-blessed three in one.
All glory to the Father be,
And to the risen Son;
The same to you, O Paraclete,
While endless ages run.
Amen.
In our silent
prayer today let us reflect on these words of Saint Paul writing to the early
Christian community at Corinth:
‘...Dear brothers, let us wash off all
that can soil either body or spirit, to reach perfection of holiness in the
fear of God.’ (2
Cor 7:1)
What do we need
to wash off ourselves that keeps us from being true disciples and worshippers
of God? Do we live in terror, constant anxiety and worry? How can we wash off
these elements that stunt our spiritual growth and true living? How can we
correct those sins that reveal our lack of awe and reverence for the Lord? What
are those anxieties that we need to overcome in order to live for God and love
for God?
Let us remind
ourselves that the Holy Spirit’s gift of Fear of the Lord aids us in our living
for Him and our loving for Him. It’s not about cowering in terror but walking
tall in God’s Presence that allows us to overcome all worry and danger.
‘I no longer fear God, but I love Him.
For perfect love casts out fear.’
St. Antony of Egypt
Come, Holy
Spirit
Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your
faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be
created.
R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray:
O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by
the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may
be always truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Tomorrow is
Pentecost Sunday, the final day of our parish Novena to the Holy Spirit and it
is also the end of the Easter Season.
God Bless and
keep praying
Fr. O’Brien
