For Fear

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, “He is a good man,” others were saying, “No, he is deceiving the crowd.” Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews. John 7:1-13 

For Fear

We will keep ourselves away
from possibility and pleasure
because we cannot imagine
beyond our binding fears.

For fear we will hide away love
bury desire, kindness and compassion
for fear we will sacrifice our children
and avoid the capacity for growth.

We will keep bottled up our joy
for fear of losing joy and life
we will rein in our unique gifts
for fear of what others will say.

We let shame dictate out actions
let style and fashion rule our art
letting angry people direct our fears
turning on the vulnerable and lost.

For fear we return anger for love
and bind up the already victimized
we imprison the least among us
for fear that they might shine.

For fear and all our humanity
Love Incarnate walked this earth
braving the terror of the crowds
the jealousy of the religious leaders.

For an end to fear and cruelty he came
many turned to follow and many
turned away for fear of what was said
they feared being crucified like him.

For the death of fear he rose again
a bloody body buried returning whole
so that love and hope can flourish
so we can find new life beyond our fears.