Just like every year, the congregation of the Saints Church in Alexandria went to attend the church at the last day of 2010 in order to receive the new year while praying inside the house of God hoping for a good year. As they were praying minutes after midnight, a massive explosion was heard that shook the building and shattered pieces of glass on their heads. People started to scream, and the bloods were everywhere. Suddenly, the priest said calmly: “Don’t feel afraid”. I believe this was the shortest and greatest sermon delivered by him ever. This is the most important message they needed to hear at that moment.
It was normal for them to feel afraid then, but God wants us not to feel afraid. Therefore, this commandment was given 366 times in the holy bible, as a daily message to the fearful people. Even Jesus Christ has advised us not to feel afraid or worried and said: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
Fear can turn to a horrible disease. Franklin D. Roosevelt in his speech at the celebration of his inauguration as president of the United States in 1933, said: “There is nothing to fear but fear itself”. He said so during the terrible economic collapse, which was threatening America and even the whole world then. However, he could bring hope to his people by these few words.
Jesus Christ left his disciples in their ship tormented by the waves, but he saved them after he asked them not to worry and to have faith. Same message is sent to us today by Jesus Chris who is able to work wonders and save us. We should not feel afraid or worried as we are saved by Jesus Christ himself. Listen to the great message delivered spontaneously by that priest at the church in Alexandria: “Don’t feel afraid”.
