Transcript of the Video Above

Daily reflections for Lenten Easter, written by Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI.

We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Easily said, but mostly our lives are dominated by it. We may be sincere and good, but we’re also fearful. Fearful of pain, of losing loved ones, of misunderstanding, of sickness, of opposition, and ultimately of death.

Deep inside us is a powerful pressure to do whatever it takes to ensure our own lives, safety and security. And so it’s not on the basis of nature that we give our lives away or move towards real courage.

We cannot walk from self pampering to self sacrifice, from living in fear to acting in courage, and from cringing before the unknown to taking the leap of faith without first, like Jesus in Gethsemane, readying ourselves through a certain agonia, that is, without undergoing the painful sweat that comes from facing what will be asked of us if we continue to live the truth.

When Pilate threatens Jesus with death, Jesus stands in freedom and courage because he had already given his life over freely the night before. He is ready for whatever awaits him.

Choosing self preservation is not necessarily choosing life.
Sometimes we need to accept opposition to choose community.
Sometimes we need to accept bitter pain to choose health.
Sometimes we need to accept a fearful free fall to choose safety.
And sometimes we need to accept death in order to choose life.

If we let fear stop us from doing that, our lives will never be whole again.