No sooner did I complete reading the first reading of the Mass then it did strike me that the situation therein was not very different from the present situation of the West. The reading from the book of Exodus, speaks of the fear among the Egyptians of the growing number of Israelites.
The situation today of the West too is similar. In the context of the immigrants and migrants, there is a sense of 'fear' among the residents that they would be overrun by these 'outsiders' sooner or later. Hence the animosity, anger, protests, ill-treatment... The strange but true fact of human nature - then and now - is that when I fear, I start oppressing the other. Rather than tackle the fear within me, I begin to make others frightened of me!
The gospel offered very mixed and strange response to this dilemma: those of the household shall become enemies; whoever loves life will lose it...; whoever receives you, receives me...; whoever gives a cup of cold water to these little ones.... Interestingly it does not mention of fear.
I guess there is a logic in the statement that fear clouds clear thinking.
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