Fear Not 220

Beloved brethren, gathered in the quiet hours of this evening, let us turn our hearts to the words of our Lord in the Gospel of Luke, chapter ten, verse twenty: "Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." These words were spoken by Christ to the seventy-two disciples upon their joyful return from mission. In the historical context of that time, the Lord had sent them forth two by two into every town and place He Himself would visit, armed not with earthly power but with the authority of His name. They returned amazed that even demons obeyed them at their command. The Early Church Fathers, in the rich treasury of the Catena Aurea, unfold this mystery with great depth. Saint Ambrose teaches that the disciples rejoiced in the subjection of evil spirits, yet the Savior directs their joy to a higher and more enduring good—the inscription of their names in the book of life. For what profit is it, he asks, to command unclean spirits if one’s own name is blotted from the heavenly register? Saint Bede the Venerable echoes this, noting that the fall of Satan like lightning from heaven, mentioned just before, reveals the true source of their victory: not their own strength, but the triumph already won by Christ’s coming. Saint John Chrysostom, in his homilies, reminds us that miracles may astonish the world, yet they are fleeting signs; the eternal joy lies in being known by God as His own. In the days of the primitive Church, when persecution threatened from every side, these words sustained the faithful. The apostles and their successors performed signs and wonders, yet they never gloried in them. Instead, they fixed their gaze upon the heavenly Jerusalem, where the names of the elect are written by the finger of God Himself. Saint Augustine, in his reflections preserved in the Catena, warns against the subtle pride that creeps into the heart when spiritual gifts are exercised. Power over demons can inflate the soul, but the assurance that one’s name is written in heaven humbles it, for this grace is given not by merit but by the sheer mercy of the Father. Consider, my children, the biblical lineage of this promise. From the book of Daniel we learn of those whose names are found written in the book and delivered from the time of distress. In the Apocalypse of Saint John, the book of life stands open before the throne, and only those inscribed therein enter the holy city. Our Lord Himself, in sending the seventy-two, foreshadows the sending of the Church to the ends of the earth. The true cause for rejoicing is not that evil yields before us, but that we have been chosen, called, and sealed for eternal life. Therefore, in this evening hour, turn from the fleeting triumphs of this world. Whether we cast out demons or merely resist a single temptation, let our joy rest in the Lamb who has written our names in His blood. For in that heavenly record lies the pledge of unending fellowship with the saints and angels. May the Lord keep our names secure until the day when we behold them face to face. #FearNot220 #FearNotUNPLUGGED #173of220 #Catholic

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