The crippling fear

The Gospel of the second Sunday of Easter opens with these lines:

...the doors were closed, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. 

The story today, across the world is no different!  Doors are today closed.  Those outside are not permitted in.  Those inside do not intend to go out!  Then, it was the fear of the Jews.  Today it is the fear of the virus.  In those days, at least one knew when there was a knock on the door, who it was.  Today even with the doors closed there in no guarantee that the virus can be held out.  But the fear is the same!  The same mortal fear. 

This morning as I heard the priest preach about how Jesus is the strength and power; the disciples not recognising the Lord with them; the continued presence of Jesus with us in the Eucharist and all that stuff... I found myself smiling.  He is one in the community who is most frightened of the virus!  While preaching the sermon, he had totally distanced himself from the fear of the disciples and had subsequently found their trembling senseless.  A safe third person observant stand.  His eloquence in preaching about the power of Jesus and his strengthening presence was merely for the disciples. 

If only he were to place himself in the shoes of the disciples and seen how what he spoke, so convincingly about Jesus' presence, is applicable and meaningful to oneself too, especially today...!