"BE NOT AFRAID!"

The late Pope John Paul II is well known for the words, "Do not be afraid", after all the challenges and struggles he encountered in his life including the World Wars and he still has that unwavering faith and hope for the future. We wonder, what are the foundations of his courage? This can be answered by what he had said with assurance and conviction in his book entitled Crossing the Threshold of Hope which is like a Q and A book. Someone asks the Holy Father about this exhortation, fearing the faith life that might be burdensome. The Holy Father responds, “Have no fear of that which you yourselves have created, have no fear of all that man has produced, and that every day is becoming more dangerous for him! Finally, have no fear of yourselves! Why should we have no fear? Because man has been redeemed by God. In the Redemption, we find the most profound basis for the words ‘Be not afraid!’: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son (cf. Jn 3:16). This Son is always present in the history of humanity as Redeemer. The Redemption pervades all of human history, even before Christ, and prepares its eschatological future. It is the light that ‘shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (cf. Jn 1:5). The power of Christ's Cross and Resurrection is greater than any evil that man could or should fear.” Thus, the works of Christ, His passion, death, and resurrection, brought forth redemption for us all that we may not be afraid for He conquered the world.

The Holy Father continues on discussing the example of Mary and his exhortation."Totus Tuus," the motto of the Holt Father. The phrase is Latin and means "Totally Yours." taken from St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary, it signifies our desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ through Mary. He continues to say, "Be not afraid!" Christ said to the apostles (cf. Lk 24:36) and to the women (cf. Mt 28:10) after the Resurrection. According to the Gospels, these words were not addressed to Mary. Strong in her faith, she had no fear. Mary's participation in the victory of Christ became clear to me above all from the experience of my people...if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her because He wants the Church's victories now and in the future to be linked to her."

He concluded by saying, "It is very important to cross the threshold of hope, not to stop before it, but to let oneself be led. I believe that the great Polish poet Cyprian Norwid had this in mind when he expressed the ultimate meaning of the Christian life in these words: "Not with the Cross of the Savior behind you, but with your own cross behind the Savior." There is every reason for the truth of the Cross to be called the Good News."