whoever keeps my word will never see death.
Does anyone really believe that?
If so, why is so much of our political talk grounded in fear. It seems that almost all of our foreign policy debate starts with fear of someone and fear of death. Why did we start the two wars we are in now and stay for over a decade? Why are so talking about attacking Iran?
Regardless of the military outcome, if the goal if terrorism is terror then it appears that they won.
Jesus teaches us not to be afraid, even of death, in part because fear robs us of our reason. Basic Catholic anthropology– what makes an act a human act are the faculties of intellect and will. Fear impairs both, and our most primal fear, is fear of death.
If we believe that we will never die we are then truly free. We are free to use our God given faculties to think, to pray, and to act in a truly human way.
This does not mean that we are indifferent to the real problems, and the existence of evil in the world. As Christians we know evil exists. But instead of reacting out of fear, we act out of a sense of true concern not only for ourselves but for others, concern for the common good.
Through prayer we stay grounded in Christ, and make rational choices,striving in everything to do the will of God.
As John tells us, "There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out all fear"
