Fighting fear

       I recently read that worry is simply praying for something bad to happen. It really struck a cord in me for me to remember one line from an entire book. Another problem for us as humans is fear. Fear would seem to be a lack of hope and certainly a lack of faith.  The response is often to recoil into one's self and deceive ourselves into thinking of the 'good old days' when life was better. We often forget the moaning we had done at the time, noting how miserable were. 

       If we look back and take a long view however, we can see how far we have come. We can see how graced we have been. We can see how far the Spirit has taken us in wisdom and truth. In rejecting the movement forward though we are rejecting the Spirit.

       So was the case in today's passage from Acts where some rejected the Word. The message was then opened to the gentiles as well. Today's Holy person is Alexander Crummell.  A holy man , Priest, who strove for equality even in his own faith, his own church. That I am familiar with.  The church of my birth labels me and other gay men and women as "intrinsically disordered" in their very own catechism.  It seems the movement of the Spirit is fought tooth and nail even today.  When the light of wisdom and truth is revealed and embraced by many churches, others ( like the Roman Catholic Church ) find fit to fight enlightenment and hold fast to ancient and outmoded philosophies and scientific information. Certainly the movement of the Spirit is rejected and insulted.

        Far from an indictment of a church, today's reading is an indictment of us all but also an invitation to be aware, repent and live without the fear of unknowns and move forward in the Spirit as God has promised and delivered - always.

        What fear do we embrace rather than move forward with the Spirit in love and peace? 

Acts 13:44-52

 The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,
   so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” ’

 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.