The Only Thing to Fear
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” - Fred Rogers
This inauguration ceremony for Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 4, 1933, was the last ceremony to be held in March. All subsequent inaugurals have been held in January. This official Architect of the Capitol photograph is being made available for educational, scholarly, news or personal purposes (not advertising or any other commercial use). When any of these images is used the photographic credit line should read “Architect of the Capitol.” These images may not be used in any way that would imply endorsement by the Architect of the Capitol or the United States Congress of a product, service or point of view. For more information visit www.aoc.gov.
In his inaugural address, FDR said “(the) only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”[1] FDR was sworn in as President of the United States in 1933. At the time, there was much to fear. The Great Depression had reached its depth. Many Americans were surviving (barely) on breadline assistance and hope appeared to be gone. Nearly one in four working adults were out of work. Industrial production fell by 47 percent and the GDP had dropped by 30%.[2]
Now, I am not an economist. I did not study business in college but I do know those kinds of economic drops, so suddenly, would give many people a good reason to fear. So, with all due respect to the 32nd President, FDR, we’re going to have to disagree on this one.
Jesus is on the move. There is much to admire about Jesus - after all, he is the Savior of the World - but the guy did not stop. He would preach or teach and then heal someone, then teach some more, and then he was on the move again. Jesus did not shy away from interacting with those who were opposed to his teaching. Jesus was upfront and honest with what his ministry was about and what would happen to him.
Before our scene on a mountain, Jesus told the disciples he would, “go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”[3] Then, on a mountain, the fullness of Jesus’ identity and God’s faithfulness was revealed to a select group of disciples. If Jesus had favorites, these guys, Peter, James, and John, were it.
The appearance of Moses and Elijah alongside Jesus confirmed and connected Jesus to Israel’s long history. This mountaintop moment confirmed Jesus’ promise of the resurrection on the third day and the fulfillment of an ancient promise and history. In Jesus, humanity, beginning with God’s chosen people would be redeemed. Jesus is the bearer of the in-breaking Kingdom of Heaven.
Smoke, clouds, and blinding light were the climax of the scene and in the middle of it all stood Peter, James, and John. Naturally, the disciples fell to the ground. Fear is a natural response when we experience something that we cannot explain, is startling, or is flat out dangerous. The disciples’ Transfiguration experience must have been all three.
The things we are afraid of cause us to respond like the disciples did at the Transfiguration.
I have a (very rational) fear of snakes and lizards - anything with scales. Snakes and lizards send me up on a chair or nearest piece of furniture. I refuse to go into the reptile house at the zoo. When I say at the blessing of the pets that Pastor Jeff or Pastor Ed will bless your reptile I mean it, because there is no way I will be anywhere in the vicinity.
What are you afraid of?
Fear causes us to freeze and either protect ourselves or retreat. Fear of the unknown causes us to want to freeze time or go back to a less-fearful place because it feels safer. Doing this, we avoid that which causes us great discomfort.
On the mountaintop, the disciples were afraid. Hit the dirt, hands over their heads, in the fetal position afraid. Like, a blue lizard running around your home just as you are getting ready to put your son to bed and all you can think to do is to grab up your precious baby, jump onto the bed, and let your wife deal with the lizard (hypothetically).
In that mountaintop moment, God – Jesus – was with them. “But Jesus came and touched them. He said, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”[4] Jesus acknowledged their fear, he did not brush them off as being irrational or dramatic, and with a touch and a word brought peace.
Acknowledgment and presence.
Ignoring our fears, or the fears of others does little to help us live as a community of neighbors who are committed to the well-being of one another. In doing this, we side-step the whole loving our neighbor as ourselves bit Jesus causally glosses over.
Mister Rogers acknowledged the fears of his television neighbors. He never asked children to stop being afraid and there were times when his explanations of what was happening in a fearful situation did not alleviate our fears. But what Mister Rogers always did when addressing fear was model for us what Jesus did for the disciples when they hit the ground in fear at the Transfiguration. Mister Rogers was incarnational - he was present and acknowledged our fears and then helped explain what was happening to lessen the sting.
Jesus reached his hand out to the disciples like he did when he healed the man with leprosy and two blind men. His touch to the disciples offered freedom, it enabled them to respond to his invitation, “Get up and do not be afraid,”[5] and actually begin to move beyond their fear.
In God becoming human, in Jesus, the incredible grace of God is ours. The unmerited love of God, there is nothing you can do make God love you more and there is nothing you can do to make God love you less, is yours. This grace is yours every time you accept Christ’s invitation to gather around his table and it is yours as you move through the daily grind of life in the neighborhood. The grace of God is yours while you are in school, the office, the coffee shop, or barber chair.
In Jesus, God is participating, in a personal manner, in our human struggles and fears. We’ll see this during Lent as Jesus is tempted in the desert and when he weeps standing at the grave of a friend.
We are not isolated or alone. Better yet, when we acknowledge the fears of others and we offer a hand extended in grace, we are like Mister Rogers, able to be the hands of Jesus with others. Our hand may not alleviate the fears of others. Our hand may invite more questions than we were ready for. But that is the beauty of the Grace of God - it extends beyond us, reminding us and the person we have reached out to that in Jesus, God has not and will not abandon us. We do not have to live in fear because the one who is faithful has promised - confirmed at the Transfiguration and assured on the cross - to always be with us.
[1] “Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States : from George Washington 1789 to George Bush 1989.” Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy, Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library, avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/froos1.asp.
[2] Romer, Christina D., and Richard H. Pells. “Great Depression.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Dec. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression.
[3] Matthew 16:21
[4] Matthew 17:7, CEB
[5] Matthew 17:7
