How does fear come about – fear of tomorrow, fear of losing a job, fear of death, fear of falling ill, fear of pain? Fear implies a process of thought about the future or about the past. I am afraid of tomorrow, of what might happen. I am afraid of death; it is at a distance still, but I am afraid of it. Now, what brings about fear? Fear always exists in relation to something. Otherwise there is no fear. So one is afraid of tomorrow or of what has been or what will be. What has brought fear? Isn’t it thought? Thought creates the future as death, and I am frightened of that. So thought breeds fear. I think about my losing a job or I might lose a job, and thought creates the fear. So thought always projects itself in time, because thought is time.
An excerpt from the talks of Jiddu Krishnamurthy (An Indian Philosopher). This particular speech of J Krishnamurthy makes me to reflect often.
Fear comes from guilt too Fr! The guilty are afraid... to speak and even allow others to speak. A common sight even among politicians today! And deep fear maybe, about dark sinful past secrets or acts shared with another make the guilty ready to do anything to keep the other as a friend... even to the point of running to that person again and again no matter how many times the other has let you down, thus stripping oneself of one's own dignity! Our Lord told us to forgive but equally to learn from past experience and to be cautious. He certainly did not teach us to sell one's self dignity for one's own vested interest... Instead, the deep fear of being exposed could be converted into intense prayer of repentance and deeper trust in God that He will take care of the situation no matter how terrible! As for the other person, it is best never to let that human being know the hold/ power he or she has over you by the over importance given to him or her as this could not only make the person boast about it to others around as it so often happens, but also encourages him /her to play dirtier games. The sad irony of life is that the sincere friend who warns about the betrayals and the deceptive games of the other, is often told to mind his or her business and is labelled as the "betraying neighbor!" while the actual betrayer is forgiven, trusted,embraced and cherished as God's most precious gift! One cannot fail to notice how justifications flow in favor of such people! In moments like these when one is silenced from speaking, one can only pray that the Lord will raise up "Daniels" like in the case of Susannah or that Wisdom will reveal the truth directly to the stubborn!
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