A Meditation for our sixth week of Eastertide in 2026

I live in a world that feels evermore driven by fear. More than a decade ago there was the fad of ‘FOMO’ (or, fear of missing out). Each year since, it feels like fear keeps pushing politics and civic life to greater extremes. In his first letter, Peter reminds us, “do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.” The greatest way my heart can sanctify anything is with love – by loving God with all I am (Way of Life Chapter 1).

It’s been hard to resist the tides and waves of fear. The news leads with it. Our politicians proclaim it. So many people seem to soak it up in our world driven by media engagement. The data shows us that nothing else drives engagement like rage, fear, and hatred. I am someone who wants to be engaged and informed. Yet, each year engagement and information are laced and woven with more fear than the year before. I find in myself a replenishing well of love and peace when I choose to be gentle, kind, and compassionate.

Yet, choosing love isn’t actually enough. I need to inspect and root out the sources of fear in myself. That fear within me, known and unknown, suffocates my capacity to love. I, like all people, am fearful of any number of things. I was raised to be fearful of people who were different (race, sexuality, religion, nationality, and ‘them’). I learned to be fearful of people who excelled where I lacked. I saw people respond to rejection with fear and rage. I saw violence celebrated as a means of addressing ones anxiety and fear (Way of Life Chapter 26). I saw that many of the calls to love were seldom more than a thin veneer put upon others and selves they did not know. I saw in our culture an elevation of love that asked nothing, cost little, and gained their proclaimers acclaim. This wasn’t a love that carried a cross. It lacked depth and cost. It seemed to be a love that wasn’t commanded by our God, who is love Itself. The more time I spend present with God, the more I learn what love can be.

In the gospel of John today we have these two lines. “You know Him (the Spirit of Truth – the Holy Spirit), because He abides with you, and He will be in you… They who have My commandments (the two greatest are 1: love God, 2: love your neighbor as yourself) and keep them are those who love Me; and those who love Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love them and reveal Myself to them.” The Holy Spirit abides with me, and dwells within me.

The love of God didn’t find me in perfection, but in despair and afraid. Here God knew me to be worthy of love beyond my capacity to imagine. Jesus told us that our God is revealed and known through loving God, others, and ourselves. To be present with God means to love. To be present with others means to love. To be present with myself means to love. Could I respond to God’s love for me by choosing to grow (Way of Life Chapter 2)? The love of God casts out fear. It frees me to not fear what the world fears and to not be intimidated. Love invites me into the world with its mess, confusion, misunderstandings, and all its fear. In Christ, love finds a way. It did on the cross, and it still does today.

God, of Your goodness, give me Yourself; You are enough for me.

Julian of Norwich

May love find a home in every hollow place fear leaves behind.

Readings for the 6^th Sunday of Eastertide · Year A

Sunday readings from the Revised Common Lectionary

Photo Credit
Paul Prins on 9 May 2026 in Paris.