8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1)
Luke presents Christ as the One Who casts out fear. Both here, and a little bit later in this same chapter when God sends His angel to Mary, His message is "be not afraid." The fact is: both were already afraid. The thrust of the message really is "Stop being Afraid!" This was not some death angel or warning of great judgment: it was good news. The same message is repeated when Jesus called His disciples, calmed the waters, and cured those filled with demons: reverential respect? Yes. Repulsive fear? No. On several more occasions, in this gospel and the others, people respond to Jesus with the same fear, and again He says: "Stop being afraid, o you of little faith." Why did they keep on doubting in fear? Why do we? May we fear a little less today, and trust Him a whole lot more.
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