"Do not be afraid." Jesus frequently uses this phrase during his appearances after his resurrection, making it a key message of the resurrection. Fear can paralyze and freeze us completely. When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples, they were all so frightened. What made them fearful might have been the fact of seeing Jesus himself face to face. When we think of seeing Jesus face to face, many of us will relate that seeing to our death. In fact, the fear of death is the root of all fears. When they think of death, many people will imagine themselves being harshly judged by a demanding God. However, a Gospel passage such as we read today could help us change that distorted image of God as the Judge. God does not judge in the sense of condemning us but justifies us as he welcomes us with his peace. It is our own words and deeds, thoughts and attitudes which really judge us.