John Paul II’s words to the world, ‘Do not be afraid,’ echo the words of Jesus. These words reveal something of the Pope’s awareness of the precariousness of life and the need for a compass, which is the Lord . . .Our lives are small. It was Moses to whom God spoke, from a small wind. The wind has been silent a long time.The winds may seem overwhelming and beyond our control to calm them. But it is then and perhaps only then, that the wind will speak again, calming all about us, and urging us to move on and not be afraid. We will need to be still and listen – listen with the heart. The heart – a small thing. It does not occupy much space but holds something of the eternal. It guides us through what is necessarily vast and of mystery. Like a compass, it contains all directions and yet points to the One that is necessary.

– Father James Behrens, O.C.S.O.