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Tuesday, November 28, 2000

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Revelation 14:14-19
Psalm 96
Luke 21:5-11

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the worst fears are yet to come

"...in the sky fearful omens and great signs." —Luke 21:11

Are you afraid of anything? I hope not because the worst is yet to come. We will "hear of wars and insurrections" (Lk 21:9) even more so than we do today. "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, plagues, and famines in various places — and in the sky fearful omens and great signs" (Lk 21:10-11). "Men will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the earth" (Lk 21:26).

How can we live fearlessly, die fearlessly, and even face the end of the world fearlessly? We conquer fear by love. "Love has no room for fear" (1 Jn 4:18). "Perfect love" is not necessarily sinlessness but complete commitment. If we love the Lord with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength (Lk 10:27), we will be so filled with love that our love will crowd out all fears.

Because of the graces of this year of the Great Jubilee, may love reign supreme and fear be homeless forever.

Prayer:  Father, by Your grace I will walk in faith (see 2 Cor 5:7) and not in fear.

Promise:  "So the One sitting on the cloud wielded His sickle over all the earth and reaped the earth's harvest." —Rv 14:16

Praise:  Reading the Scriptures faithfully helped Doris allow Jesus to conquer her anxieties.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, April 24, 2000


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 27, 2000