Love Without Fear

A friend on facebook posted:

Loving without fear of consequences is the path of holiness we are all called to. Fear is really a stumbling block to our holiness.

Another friend has an acronym for fear:

F alse

E vidence

A ppearing

R eal

This is so true! Our fears (what will others think? what if I’m rejected? etc) stops us cold from our desire to reach out, and many times it is because of our poor perception (false reality) of how the other might receive our message of love. The antidote to this ‘paralysis by analysis’ is simple.

PRAYER.

It is conquered through Prayer, for the fruit of prayer =====> L O V E.

Is it easy to love with abandon? No.  Possible? Yes!

The path the Saints have trod before us leads us down the very path of possible loving with abandon for the very people who hurt us. Let us be encouraged today to love with the words of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta*:

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, others could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

Let us ask the Mary, who swallowed her fear at the Annunciation, to assist us to do God’s will … fear or not … anyway.

___

* Version attributed to Mother Teresa. Original source: “The Paradoxical Commandments” Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders.

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