September 18, 2019 // Perspective
Being a fearless son
Through our own sacramental life, beginning with baptism and finding its perfection in the Eucharist, the Father speaks the very same words over us. In baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father, and in the Eucharist, we share in the very Body and Blood of God’s only Son.
Take a moment to imagine a world in which we would live in the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. Romans 8:19 even goes so far as to say that all of creation is yearning for this reality. How much different would the stresses of our daily life seem? No longer would there be that extra stress of pleasing my boss or making sure I compare positively to my peers. Likewise, all of that time wasted on relatively petty stressors can be reordered to our relationship with the Lord. Further, actively living in that relationship as a son of God leads not only to this freedom, but also to a certain fearlessness.
In 1 John 4:18 we read that “perfect love casts out fear.” What does this perfect love look like? Quintessentially, the only truly perfect love is that which exists between Father and Son. We call that love the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who constantly returns us to live in our divine filiation. Just the same, it is the Holy Spirit who roots us in our primary identity as the sons and daughters of God.
To put it in more human terms, think about little children. They are the most fearless people on planet Earth. They are constantly climbing on unstable structures, putting filthy things in their mouths and regarding clothing as optional. Why are they so unashamed and free? It seems to me because they are most perfectly children; that is, they live in the full reception of the love of their mother and father.
In the Holy Spirit, the very same is offered to us on the supernatural level. God readily gives us the grace of fearlessness. In view of future anxieties and uncertainties, there is one thing that doesn’t change — our identity as the very sons and daughters of God. An identity which lasts even past the grave.
So, let’s go forth in this freedom. Let’s fearlessly climb over any instability about the future, while we place the spotless Body of Christ on our tongues; and forever live in our baptismal garments, in which we were first called God’s beloved sons and daughters.
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