Today is Feb. 25, Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time.
We read at Mass today, “You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall” (Sir 2:7).
In this context, “fear of the Lord” is not about being afraid, as if it were to mean only trembling in God’s presence. It’s not about being scared or afraid.
So what does it mean to fear the Lord? Fear of the Lord means approaching God with profound reverence and awe. It means cultivating in your heart an awareness of God’s majesty and respect for his authority. Fear of the Lord is not only foundational in the spiritual life, but it’s also transformative! So how do we grow our fear of the Lord and what horizons does fear, properly understood, open for us?
Steps to grow our fear of the Lord
First, we grow in patience. “Wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall,” Sirach tells us. God’s mercy will come, but we have to expect it to come on God’s time, not ours.
Second, Sirach tells us that we need to “trust him.” Rewards ultimately come for Christians according to the designs of heaven. Part of trusting in God means looking at things from God’s perspective and abandoning our own assessments of how things should (or should not) be here and now.
Third, Sirach tells us to “hope for good things,” and among the things we should be hoping for are lasting joy and mercy. Notably — and thankfully — these are not the joys and mercies of the world!
And finally, by loving God, Sirach tells us that our hearts will be enlightened. Love always means conformity. Loving God and conforming to his plans shapes our hearts in ways that are sometimes painful, but always, in the end, extraordinary.
Let us pray,
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, always pondering spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed that which is pleasing to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
