“Noli timere! Fear not! Do not be afraid!”
No matter how we might phrase it, this confident reliance on God, which seeks to look beyond the present moment, is at the heart of the Christian message.
With that in mind, I was sent a fine quote which could be helpful in our times for many people who have written to me lately, and for myself as well:
Don’t be frightened; don’t fear any harm, even though the circumstances in which you work are terrible, worse even than those of Daniel in the pit with all those ferocious beasts. God’s hand is as powerful as ever and, if necessary, he will work miracles. Be faithful! With a loving, responsible and cheerful faithfulness to the teaching of Christ. Be convinced that our times are no worse than those of other centuries, and that Our Lord is always the same.
St Josemaría Escrivá
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Amen!
The worst thing on my mind these days is the encroachment of Islam in our country. I worry for my five children and what they will face in the coming years.
I think that you should keep your prayer request for yourself and other priests at the top of your page. I always do pray for all God’s priests at night during our rosary, but now you’re getting an extra boost of a “stop right now and pray for him.”
Thanks for all the work you do and God bless all your endeavors in keeping our faith alive and strong.
Our Lady of Guadelupe to St. Juan Diego:
“LISTEN. PUT IT INTO YOUR HEART, MY YOUNGEST AND DEAREST SON, THAT THE THING THAT FRIGHTENED YOU, THE THING THAT AFFLICTED YOU IS NOTHING: DO NOT LET IT DISTURB YOU: DO NOT FEAR THIS SICKNESS NOR ANY OTHER SICKNESS, NOR ANY SHARP AND HURTFUL THING. AM I NOT HERE, I, WHO AM YOUR MOTHER? ARE YOU NOT UNDER MY SHADOW AND PROTECTION? AM I NOT THE SOURCE OF YOUR JOY? ARE YOU NOT IN THE HOLLOW OF MY MANTLE, IN THE CROSSING OF MY ARMS? DO YOU NEED SOMETHING MORE? LET NOTHING ELSE WORRY YOU, DISTURB YOU; DO NOT LET YOUR UNCLE’S ILLNESS PRESSURE YOU WITH GRIEF, BECAUSE HE WILL NOT DIE OF IT NOW. YOU MAY BE CERTAIN THAT HE IS ALREADY WELL.”
Along the same line, one of my favorites is St. Teresa’s bookmark:
Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing:
God alone suffices.
Funny that you should write this at this time. For some reason, every night for the past week I have woken up in the middle of the night after having a very real, frightening dream that the devil is chasing me and laughing at me. Not sure why, things are going pretty good in my life right now, so I’m not really stressed out or anything. I do need to get to confession, so I’ll make sure I go this week. Sure wish it was offered more than just one hour Saturday afternoons. I’m sure it’s hard on priests, but it would be nice to have an evening confession time (like at 9) for parents of young children to go after the kids are in bed (with one staying home to watch the kids of course).
Thank you, Father. This is just what I needed. It’s so easy to get worried and discouraged. I do recognize that the evil one wants me that way, but it’s easy to slip into that mode. We should have confidence so long as we cling to Our Lord and His Mother. I forgot…again…
Thank you for this Father! It is absolutely true, and when you are in the midst of terrible confusions, go to Mary. There you will find inexpressible joys!
This reminds me of one of my favorites from St. Teresa of Avila:
Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing:
God alone suffices.
Much needed, thank you Father.
One wise priest said in a homily, “God did not promise us paradise in this life, only the next.” I try and keep this with me when I am down. This life will pass and then, God willing, we will be with Our Lord for eternity.
I usually do not fear for myself. Like most parents, I am afraid for my five children.
After hearing Juan Diego’s chat, the Most Holy Virgin answered: “Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.
My favorite is from St. Thomas More:
“I will not mistrust the Lord, Meg, though I feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear.
Rather, I shall remember how St. Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Our Lord for help.
And then I trust He shall place His holy hand upon me, and in the storming seas hold me up from drowning.
I lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help.
I’ve gotten a lot of comfort lately from the image of the Church as Noah’s Ark — full of all different kinds of “animals” on all different levels, but all together in the same boat. Outside is wind and water, but inside her, we can safely escape the “shipwreck of the world”.
Oh, here’s a translation from 2005 of the big Noah’s Ark thing by Greg of Elvira (Gregorius Illiberitanus).
Pretty cool, eh? It also comes into Beatus of Liebana a lot; and don’t I wish I’d found this translation first before slogging away at it myself!
Thank you, Father. I needed this today when pondering our troubled times.
Thanks for this quote Father! This came at the right time, you have no idea how I needed this.
Blessings,
Fr. Peter
Suburbanbanshee-
Thanks for Noah’s Ark translation of Gregory of Hialeah . Using his clever and complicated number system I got the horse right here his name is Paul Revere.
Noli timere
This reminded me of even more striking question: How Do You Frighten Someone Raised From the Dead?