By Ms. C. A. Riley, OP
22 May 2022
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid, for if you love me,so too, will the Father love you. The phrase “do not be afraid” appears 365 time in the Bible. Why? Are we a people who are afraid all the time and must be reminded of Jesus’ promise that through the Holy Spirit, He and the Father are always with us? When we are afraid, all we need to do is remember that Jesusdied so that we could live without fear, this is where our faith will set us free. All too often I see people worrying over this issue or that problem, instead of giving it up to God. We should always find peace and solace in the knowledge that Jesus gave himself up to death so we would not be afraid of it. He tells us this in the gospel, that He is going to the Father and needs to do this, so that the Father will send each of us the Holy Spirit as our advocate and guide in this life.
What does it mean to be an advocate for someone? We read so many verses in the Bible of how God sends advocates to help others. Moses, Aaron, Noah, Ruth, Rebecca, Jonah, David, Mary, Jesus, the disciples and apostles. Yes, Jesus was the unblemished lamb sent by God to save us from sin and death. All of us as disciples of God are also advocates of his word, and when baptized we become Priest, Prophet, and King of the Church. It is our place now to be the advocates of those who need us today, so go out and do not be afraid to spread the good news to others.
Blessed Mary Mother of Dominic 