By St. Nikolai Velimirovich
"Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever" (Rev. 1:17-18).
Thus says the Lord Jesus to His beloved disciple John in a vision on the island of Patmos: "Do not be afraid of what! Do not be afraid of the persecution of the Church by the pagans. Do not be afraid of the tormentors who persecute my faithful on all sides. Do not be afraid of emperors who raise up persecutions against the Christians. Do not be afraid of powerful tyrants of this world who mock and ridicule My humility in My death. Do not be afraid of demons who blind men with passions so that they can't see the truth which I brought to the world. Do not be afraid of anything!"
"How could I not be afraid, O Lord? Why then should we not be afraid when the entire world is armed to the tooth and assembled against us who are small in number and unarmed?"
"Do not be afraid for I am the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. All of those forces armed against you are nothing but a whirlwind of the dead. I am before time and I am after time; before the beginning of all and after the end of all things that were created, I Am! They are all locked in one span of time that I measured out to every created thing and outside of this span of time, they cannot extend. 'Do not be afraid, once I was dead but now, I am alive.' Do not be afraid, not even of death. I am before death and after death. Death is my servant and I permit my servant to serve me in the world. I gave myself up to my servant for three days and ordered him to release Me and 'now, I am alive. I am the Master of death as well as of life. I am the Master of time as well as of eternity. Do not be afraid! 'I am alive forever and ever.' And you will be alive with Me. All they who remain faithful to Me and are not afraid will live with Me. 'Do not be afraid, I am the Alpha and the Omega'" (Rev. 1:11).
O Lord, Eternal and Immortal, allow these holy words of Yours to ring in the souls of Your faithful always whenever a persecution is raised up against Your Holy Church that, holding on to Your right hand, we may not be afraid. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
