Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” John 14:1
In John’s Gospel, Chapters 14–17 present us with what is referred
to as Jesus’ “Last Supper Discourses,” or His “Final Discourses.”
These are a series of sermons given by our Lord to the disciples
the night He was arrested. These discourses are deep and filled
with symbolic imagery. He speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate,
the vine and the branches, the world’s hatred, and these discourses
conclude with Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. These discourses begin
with today’s Gospel in which Jesus addresses the coming fear, or
troubled hearts, that He knows His disciples will experience.
Let’s begin by considering this first line spoken by Jesus above:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” This is a command. It’s a
gentle command but a command nonetheless. Jesus knew that His
disciples would soon see Him arrested, falsely accused, mocked,
beaten and killed. He knew they would be overwhelmed by what they
would soon experience, so He took this opportunity to gently and
lovingly rebuke the fear that they would soon face.
Fear can come from many different sources. Some fear is helpful to
us, such as the fear present in a dangerous situation. In this
case, that fear can heighten our awareness of the danger so that we
proceed with caution. But the fear that Jesus was speaking of here
was of a different kind. It was a fear that could lead to
irrational decisions, confusion, and even despair. This was the
kind of fear that our Lord wanted to gently rebuke.
What is it that causes you to fear at times? Many people struggle
with anxiety, worry, and fear for many different reasons. If this
is something you struggle with, it’s important to allow Jesus’
words to resonate within your mind and heart. The best way to
overcome fear is to rebuke it at its source. Hear Jesus say to you,
“Do not let your heart be troubled.” Then listen to His second
command: “You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” Faith in
God is the cure for fear. When we have faith, we are under the
control of the voice of God. It is God’s truth that directs us
rather than the difficulty we are facing. Fear can lead to
irrational thinking, and irrational thinking can lead us deeper and
deeper into confusion. Faith pierces through the irrationality we
are tempted with, and the truths that faith presents to us bring
clarity and strength.
Reflect, today, upon whatever it is that causes you the most
anxiety, worry and fear in your life. Allow Jesus to speak to you,
to call you to faith and to rebuke those troubles gently but
firmly. When you have faith in God, you can endure all things.
Jesus endured the Cross. The disciples eventually endured their
crosses. God wants to strengthen you, too. Let Him speak to you so
that you will overcome whatever is most troublesome to your
heart.
My loving Shepherd, You know all things. You know my heart and
the difficulties I face in life. Give me the courage I need, dear
Lord, to face every temptation to fear with confidence and trust in
You. Bring clarity to my mind and peace to my troubled heart.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured images above: Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles By
Duccio di Buoninsegna, via Wikimedia Commons
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