Ten principles inviting us to live in less fear? By Father Ron Rolheiser

 

Ron Rolheiser, a Roman Catholic priest

and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate,

is president of the Oblate School of Theology

in San Antonio, Texas

1.      God's insight and understanding surpass our own.
 

2.      God's compassion and forgiveness surpass our own. 
 

3.      God respects nature, our human make-up, and our innate propensities.
 

4.      God is a blessing parent, not a threatened one.
 

5.      God can handle our questions and doubts and angers. 
 

6.      God reads the heart and can tell the difference between wound and malice. 
 

7.      God gives us more than one chance, opening another door every time we close one. 
 

8.      God desires our salvation and the salvation of our loved ones more than we do. 
 

9.      God is the author of all that is good.
 

10.  God can, and does, descend into hell to help us. 

 

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4, 18