Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,

Last evening, as well as today, we heard in the Gospel readings how the feeling of fear drove many into sin. We heard how the priests, scribes, and pharisees, seeing the success of the ministry of Jesus Christ, became fearful of losing their power, became fearful of those problems that could have arisen between the Jews and the Romans because of Christ and decided to eliminate Him. We read about Pilate feared losing control over the mob gathered in Jerusalem and decided to give up, as he perfectly well understood, an an innocent life to death. We heard how the disciples of Christ feared the soldiers, abandoned their Teacher, and scattered. We heard how Peter renounced the Saviour, all because of fear. Everywhere there was fear, and following fear came sin, and not everyday, little sins, but murder and apostasy!

No one managed to deal with this very natural and understandable feeling of fear except for one Man. This Person was, of course, Jesus Christ, the most real person, and at the same time the most real God. As God he understood perfectly what was about to happen to Him and how awful it would be. As a consequence, as a man, He could not but worry, be full of stress, and suffer emotionally before His passions. He was in such a state of agony that He perspired so abundantly that His sweat was falling to the ground like drops of blood. He was afraid, like any other person would be afraid.

But where the Apostles, Jews, and Pilate were unable to deal with their fear, Christ conquered it through the power of prayer. The Evangelist Matthew relates that the Lord prayed for a prolonged time thrice about His impending passions. The first time He prayed to His heavenly Father with such words: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Here Christ asks that He be spared that terrible fate which awaits Him. The second and third times the Lord prayed somewhat differently, asked for something a little bit different. The Evangelist Matthew relates the words of those prayers in the following way: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.” Do you see that the Saviour no longer asks that the cup of suffering and death would pass Him by, but only that the will of God be fulfilled. It is difficult for Him, He doesn’t want to suffer and to die, but, as much as possible, He has come to peace with His future and only asks that everything be accomplished in a Godly manner.

Let us also approach our Heavenly Father in heartfelt prayer more often, so as to conquer that fear that surrounds us, so as not to fall into sin, and so that it is God’s will and not our own that is always accomplished.

priest Alexis