This makes me think... worry ain't good for us!

Do not look forward in fear

to the changes of life;

rather, look to them with full hope

that as they arise,

God, whose very own you are,

will lead you safely through all things;

and when you cannot stand it,

God will carry you in His arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;

the same everlasting Father who cared

for you today will take care of you then and every day.

He will either shield you from suffering,

or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace and put aside

all anxious thoughts and imaginations.

--St Francis de Sales

(from a letter to Mme de Granieu)

I have long loved this quote. You'll find it in a previous article I wrote honoring St. Frank. 

This makes me think... about dealing with fear...

If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true happiness and joy.  Faith does not run counter to your highest ideals; on the contrary, it elevates and perfects those ideals.  Dear young people, do not be satisfied with anything less than Truth and Love, do not be content with anything less than Christ.

Nowadays, although the dominant culture of relativism all around us has given up on the search for truth, even if it is the highest aspiration of the human spirit, we need to speak with courage and humility of the universal significance of Christ as the Saviour of humanity and the source of hope for our lives.   He who took upon himself our afflictions, is well acquainted with the mystery of human suffering and manifests his loving presence in those who suffer...  

... Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you.  Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your weakness.  The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that, by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world. 


--Benedict XVI, Homily at Prayer Vigil, World Youth Day, Madrid,  2011, August 20, 2011.