Fear

Fear and Hatred Intertwined

"I am perfectly aware of all the verses of scripture that tell us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and so on. I think we have to weigh those verses with some kind of proper meaning. For a long time, not only in the Calvinist West, but even among some Orthodox priests, God was made to appear a heavenly 'terrorist'. I'm not just speaking about the exaggerations that naturally take place in monasteries and in the patericons. Those exaggerations are permissible because of the intensity and enormity of the struggle that people are going through, and they need this extra 'leverage'. But when we teach fear to the degree that it is completely contradictory to the concept of the love of God, and when we make God out to be the heavenly terrorist, who is essentially out to get us (not out to save us), then we've really and truly overstepped the boundaries. When we teach fear, we always teach hatred. We teach hatred because hatred can come only from fear, and fear leads directly to hatred." -- Archbishop Lazar Puhalo

Fear of God

"The fear of God makes a person wise. What is the fear of God? Not that one should be afraid of God, but to be afraid to sadden someone, to harm someone, to do them no wrong, and to not make accusations. This is wisdom. After all this, God will illumine you as to what to do in your life." -- St. Sophia of Kleisoura

Virtue Overpowers Fear

"See how Peter slept and was not in anguish or fear. In the very night when he was about to be brought before the court he slept, leaving everything to God. Indeed the multitude becomes powerful when virtue is present. And it had such a power that even though the doors were closed, chains bound the apostle and the jailers slept at both his sides, virtue delivered him and saved him from all those difficulties. So if virtue is present the multitude has great strength, but if vice is present it makes no benefit." -- St. John Chrysostom

Do Not Worry About Comforts

"Take no thought for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him." -- John 6:27

"To 'take no thought' does not mean 'not to work' but 'not to be nailed to the things of this life.' In other words, do not worry about tomorrow's comfort; in fact, consider it superfluous. There are those who do no work and yet lay up treasures for tomorrow. There are also others who do work and yet are careful for nothing. Carefulness and work are not the same thing. People do not work because they trust in their work but so that they may give to the person who is in need." St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John, 44.1

The Enemy Present in Fear

'Whenever the soul continues to be fearful, it is the enemy who is present. The evil spirits do not dispel the fear of their presence, as the great archangel Gabriel did for Mary and Zechariah.' - St. Athanasius, Life of St. Anthony 37