Fear The Mind-Killer

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. 

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak. Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication. With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared. Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. 

Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water. The abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. A highway will be there, called the holy way. No one unclean may pass over it, nor fools go astray on it. No lion will be there, nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it. It is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk. 

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy. They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee. (Isaiah 35:1-10)

The book, Dune, by Frank Herbert (1965) has been made into a movie again and will be released in 2021.  Having read all of his many books in his Dune series of science fiction when I was a young man, I came to appreciate the human imagination.  

In Dune with much of the plot taking place in a desert world, we are introduced to the Litany of Fear.  According to one source, “The phrase derives from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, ‘A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once. It seems to me most strange that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.’”

The young protagonist of Dune, Paul Atreides, eventually known as Muad' Dib, would cite the Litany to combat his fears.  It went:  "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."  

Isaiah spoke of the desert and parched land.  He said, “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!...Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water”  For most of us this year of 2020 has been like a desert with us being parched and wanting no more burning sands on which many of us seem to have been forced to walk.   We have been afraid, and that fear is still with many of us, especially for our futures, financial and health.

Nevertheless, Christmas is nearing when there will be joy and gladness; sorrow and mourning will flee.  Our Lord will be born again on this Christmas Day.  Hark! The Herald Angels will sing!

So, in anticipation of the Lord, let us address our fears with the Litany: "We must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. We will face our fear. We will permit it to pass over us and through us. And when it has gone past, we will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only we will remain and in Christ"

Deacon David Pierce