The Feast of St John Neumann, Bishop.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" (Mark 6: 50)

Wednesday 5th January 2022, in the Season of Christmas is the feast of a great missionary priest, Bishop, Church planter, pioneer in the Catholic Schools system in USA. His name is St John Neumann (1811 - 1860). Born in Bohemia. Became a Redemptorist priest. Became Bishop of Philadelphia.  Worn out by his labors, John died at the age of 49.

Notice that fear is addressed in the first Reading and the Gospel.

Faith in the promises of the word of God has helped me manage fears in my life. So many people are fearful today because of the disruptive effects of the Pandemics which threaten everything we took for granted, viz:  Family, Job, Money, Health, Possessions and Future.

Trusting the promises of God which cannot fail has helped me to deal with most fears in my life. In these dire days, trusting these promises is helping me keep my head above water every day.

Here are a few of the Scriptures that help me to fight fear:

#1 Deuteronomy 31:  8
"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

#2  Psalm 27:1
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

#3  Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

#4. "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NLT).

#5. "Fear is useless; what is needed is trust."  (Luke 8: 50; Mark 5: 36).

#6. "If God is for me, who can be against me?" (Romans 8: 31).

And here is word of wisdom and courage from a Carmelite mystic and Doctor of the Church:
"Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing:
God alone suffices."  (St Teresa of Avila)

"This morning, before Lauds, the Father spoke to me for the first time : Faith in My fatherhood will be the path of healing for many, who, like you, were kept from growing up in freedom and joy beneath the gaze of their father. I want to banish fear from your life. I want you to feel loved and surrounded by My presence as Father—a presence that supports you, that will not hold you back from becoming the man that I have always wanted you to be; a presence that will allow you, in turn, to become a father, a father in My image, a father as My Jesus was fully a father in the midst of His disciples. They discovered My fatherhood in His countenance.  They sensed it in drawing close to His Heart, they saw it at work in the signs of mercy and of power that He worked in My Name." (IN SINU JESU Sunday, October 28, 2007).

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