“Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.”
These words from the inaugural papal address of St. John Paul II are words he would repeat often as Pope.
Especially in his talks to young people, St. John Paul would reiterate the words spoken to our Blessed Mother, by God’s messengers throughout salvation history, and by Jesus to his disciples: “Do not be afraid.”
When questioned about the greatest commandment, Jesus gave a straightforward response: love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. Really living this commandment is a challenge for each of us. In the Saints, we discover examples from men and women from every background who heard, “Do not be afraid,” and opened wide the doors for Christ. Saints have overcome all types of obstacles: rejection, ridicule, disinheritance, shunning, exile, torture, and martyrdom. For some, the great challenge was to receive the Lord’s forgiveness for past sins and embrace life renewed by God’s mercy. But after deciding not to be afraid to follow Christ, they all had the courage “even to endure joyfully whatever may come, giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints” (Colossians 1:11). These words were addressed to the ordinary people of the Church, to us. We have been given every gift we need to share the inheritance of the Saints, if only we believe and respond to the Lord’s words: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Mark 6:50).
