Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Father Ivan Olmo
November 15, 2026
“Blessed are those who fear the Lord.” One of the ways I’ve been asked to consider fear in order to better know and understand when something is truly fearful and to be feared, is to consider fear as something or someone that is truly life threatening or a danger to one’s life. To consider whether a specific incident, experience or circumstance is truly a cause to be afraid and full of fear. Personally, this revelation has proven to be most helpful to me in the new way I view specific situations and how I now respond to individuals in these types of particular circumstances. Some individuals are genuinely afraid of so many things but nonetheless, are not really life threatening but rather unpleasant in nature or an irritating nuisance we would rather like to avoid than to face but, in the end, with the help of God’s grace, we can get through it and continue to live happily. Think of the most embarrassing moment or unpleasant situation you could possibly imagine for yourself. That thing you hope will never happen. What if that most embarrassing moment you dread so much or the thing you hope never happens, happens? Would that truly be the end or simply a terrible, embarrassing moment that potentially shatters your image and credibility, destroys your name or reputation, deflates your pride and ego, humbles you and causes you to be truthful, honest and just? True fear is a scary thing that causes us to pray with abandonment because we are uncertain if we will get through it or survive the whole ordeal like the sudden loss of fuel or power, food or communication in a remote deserted place. That can truly be fearful for some or perhaps a moment of trust for others. Similarly, the sudden loss of cabin pressure on a flight can also be a scary, fearful situation, but less scary when praying the rosary. We may be afraid of the dark or of certain creepy crawly things. We may be afraid to talk or perform in front of a large crowd or audience. We may even be majorly embarrassed when a lie is uncovered or a deceit brought to light or someone finds out you misrepresented the truth, but in the end, we can recover from our mistakes and try to heal what may have been broken. In the end, Holy Fear is the only fear. Not of being afraid of God because God is not life threatening but rather life-giving for perfect love casts out every fear.