Do Not Be Afraid

In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus says to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, "Do not be afraid", signifying a command given by Christ to depths of the human heart.  In his Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris on Feb. 11, 1984 Pope John Paul II alludes to this stating that the, "need of the human heart commands us to overcome fear". 

Fear keeps us from opening up ourselves completely to life and the Lord.  It can "paralyze" us from doing what is right, therefore we suffer.  We overcome fear and return to joy through the "promise of the Holy Spirit" as St. Peter tells us in the first reading from Acts.  Peter is speaking boldly and confidently.  Undoubtedly he had been touched and transformed by the Holy Spirit.  Yet some fifty days earlier he had betrayed the Lord, cowaring away in fear and suffering greatly for it.  The experience of the Resuurection truly set him free.     

The promise is clarified in John 14: 16-18 where Jesus sends a comforter, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it.  But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

Christ suffered tremendously and rose from the dead so we can share in His joy.  Christians are called to personalize this act through faith and be filled with the Holy Spirit in prayer in order to overcome and believe. 

Meditate on today's Psalm, "Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope," to experience the Holy Spirit now.