Episode 3272: The End of Fear: Faith, Surrender, and Christ the King

October 27, 2025
1599 St Frumentis – 2 yrs ago – 9:10
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Book Recommendation of the Day
On the Incarnation” by St. Athanasius (4th century)
• St. Athanasius explains how Christ conquered death, the ultimate cause of fear.
• He writes: “By the sign of the cross, all magic is stopped, and all witchcraft brought to nothing. The very naming of Christ drives away evil spirits.”
• A classic text that shows how the Incarnation and Resurrection destroy fear at its root.
The End of Fear: Faith, Surrender, and the Triumph of Christ the King
Today we’re exploring The End of Fear: Faith, Surrender, and the Triumph of Christ the King.
So many voices today whether in psychology, philosophy, or modern spirituality tell us that fear ends when we forget ourselves, dissolve our egos, or merge into some impersonal ‘universe.’ But as Catholics, we know that fear does not end with emptiness. It ends with fullness fullness of grace, fullness of truth, fullness of Christ.
Today we’ll look at what the Church teaches about fear, how the saints and Fathers overcame it, and how we too can surrender not to emptiness, but to Christ the King, who reigns over all.”
Segment 1: The Roots of Fear
Theme: Understanding fear in light of Scripture and the Fall.
• Fear enters the world at the Fall. Genesis 3:10 “I heard Thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid.” Adam hides because sin distorts his relationship with God. Fear is thus the fruit of disobedience.
• St. Augustine comments (City of God, Book XIV) that man’s heart, once tranquil, was thrown into disorder by sin, producing both pride and fear.
Two kinds of fear (St. Thomas Aquinas, ST II-II, Q.19):
• Servile fear: fear of punishment. It can restrain sin but, if left alone, it may lead to despair.
• Filial fear: reverence and awe before God, which brings us closer to Him.
Patristic Insight:
• St. John Chrysostom taught that holy fear “is not terror, but a safeguard, keeping us from presumption and leading us to love.”
• St. Basil the Great explained that servile fear is like the fear of a slave, while filial fear is like that of a child not wanting to offend a loving father.
Reflection Question for Listeners:
Do I live more in servile fear afraid of punishment or filial fear loving God with reverence?
Segment 2: False Paths to Overcoming Fear
Theme: Why the world’s answers fall short.
• Modern philosophies suggest we overcome fear by “losing the ego” and blending into the universe. But this ignores reality: sin, death, and judgment remain. Fear cannot be erased by illusion it must be conquered by grace.
• St. Augustine’s timeless reminder: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord.” (Confessions, I.1). Restlessness is the fruit of trying to escape God.
Patristic Insight:
• St. Gregory of Nyssa, in his Life of Moses, wrote that the soul must always ascend toward God, never settling for shadows or false consolations. The danger lies in thinking peace can be found apart from God.
• St. Teresa of Avila (echoing the Fathers) warned against “false consolations” experiences that make us feel spiritual but do not unite us to Christ.
Reflection Question:
Have I ever sought peace apart from God through distraction, philosophy, or control and found it only deepened my fear?
Segment 3: Christ the King and the End of Fear
Theme: Fear ends in Christ’s Kingship and Resurrection.
• “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55). Christ, risen, transforms death the greatest fear into a passage to eternal life.
• “Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).
• Pope Pius XI, in Quas Primas, instituted the Feast of Christ the King because modern man was enslaved by false rulers and ideologies. Only in Christ’s reign can man be free from fear.
Examples from Saints:
• St. Joan of Arc, facing trial and execution: “I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”
• St. Padre Pio: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
Patristic Insight:
• St. Leo the Great declared: “The Cross is the source of all blessings, the cause of all graces. Through the Cross, fear is destroyed and strength is given.”
• St. Athanasius comforted Christians under persecution: “Christ has made death a thing of nought; henceforth all who believe in Him tread it underfoot.” (On the Incarnation).
Reflection Question:
Do I live as if Christ is truly my King, or do I let fear of politics, health, or finances rule my life?
Segment 4: Surrender and Confidence
Theme: Catholic surrender is active trust, not passive detachment.
• Matthew 18:3: “Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
• St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s “Little Way”: surrendering her smallness to God’s greatness. Fear ends when she abandons herself to the Father’s love.
• Devotion to the Sacred Heart: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: “The Sacred Heart is an inexhaustible fountain from which we draw all graces.”
Patristic Insight:
• St. Cyprian of Carthage: “He cannot fear death who clings to the Cross of Christ.”
• St. Augustine: true courage is not found in self-sufficiency but in confidence in God’s promises.
Reflection Question:
When fear arises, do I turn to Christ in surrender, or do I try to control everything myself?
Segment 5: Practical Steps to Conquer Fear
Theme: Catholic weapons against fear.
1. Frequent Confession – heals guilt and removes fear of judgment.
o Christ to His Apostles: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them.” (John 20:23).
o St. Ambrose: “In confession, there is mercy; in mercy, the fear of punishment is cast out.”
2. Daily Rosary – Our Lady promised her protection.
o Bl. Bartolo Longo: “The Rosary is a chain that binds us to heaven.”
o St. Louis de Montfort: “When the Rosary is well said, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more meritorious than any other prayer.”
3. Holy Eucharist – strengthens us against fear.
o John 6:51: “The bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”
o St. Ignatius of Antioch: “The Eucharist is the medicine of immortality and the antidote against death.”
4. Short Prayers of Trust – “Jesus, I trust in You.”
Reflection Question:
Which one of these weapons will I begin using more faithfully this week to overcome fear?
Closing
Fear ends not in emptiness, but in fullness the fullness of Christ the King. The Fathers of the Church, the great saints, and the liturgy remind us that courage is born of trust, and trust is born of love.
Let us entrust ourselves to Christ the King, who reigns over history, over the Church, and over our hearts.
Epistle – Ephesians 5:15–21
"See therefore, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise, but as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil... And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury; but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit... giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father."
Reflection on the Epistle
St. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is not one of carelessness, but of vigilance and wisdom. “Redeeming the time” means making every moment count for eternity, using our days to grow in virtue, charity, and holiness because, as he warns, the days are evil.
How true this remains in our own time. The world seeks distraction and indulgence, numbing itself with luxury and self-indulgence. But Paul exhorts us to be filled with the Spirit, singing hymns of thanksgiving and living with reverence for God’s will.
St. Frumentius lived this Epistle. As a young man taken captive to Ethiopia, he might have wasted his life in bitterness. Instead, he redeemed the time, serving faithfully, using every opportunity to spread the Gospel. His captivity became his mission, and his trial became a path to holiness.
For us, this passage is a call to stop wasting time in distractions and to ask ourselves: am I redeeming the time, or losing it to the spirit of the world?
Gospel – John 4:46–53
"The nobleman saith to Him: Sir, come down before that my son die. Jesus saith to him: Go thy way, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him and went his way... And himself believed, and his whole house."
Reflection on the Gospel
Here we encounter a nobleman whose son is near death. He approaches Jesus with urgency, begging Him to come. But Our Lord does not go in person He speaks a word: “Thy son liveth.” And the man believes the word of Christ before seeing the proof. His faith is rewarded, and his son is healed.
This Gospel teaches us the essence of faith: to believe in Christ’s word, even before we see results. True faith trusts the promise of God, not our own senses.
St. Frumentius embodied this faith. Entrusted with the evangelization of Ethiopia, he believed in Christ’s word even though the land was pagan, the task seemed impossible, and he lacked human strength. His faith bore fruit the conversion of a nation, the establishment of the Church, and the baptism of countless souls.
For us, the lesson is clear: Christ still speaks His word to us in Scripture, in the sacraments, and in the teaching of His Church. Do we believe His word, even when it challenges us, even when we do not yet see the fruits?
Feast of St. Frumentius
St. Frumentius (d. c. 383) was captured as a boy and brought to Ethiopia. He gained favor at the royal court and used his position to spread the Gospel. Later, St. Athanasius of Alexandria ordained him bishop of Aksum, making him the first bishop of Ethiopia. Through his perseverance, Ethiopia became one of the earliest Christian nations, a legacy that endures to this day.
His feast reminds us that God can turn captivity into mission, weakness into strength, and trials into triumph. He is a saint for our time, when the Faith seems weak in many nations: reminding us that fidelity, patience, and faith in Christ’s word can bear miraculous fruit.
Application for Today
• Redeem the time: Cut out wasteful distractions and live each day as if it may be your last.
• Trust Christ’s word: Believe the promises of Christ, even when circumstances seem dark.
• Witness boldly: Like St. Frumentius, use every situation even trials to advance the Gospel.
• Live with gratitude: As Paul teaches, give thanks in all things, even sufferings, for they can be paths to grace.
Conclusionary Prayer
O God, who through the zeal of St. Frumentius didst cause the light of the Gospel to shine in Ethiopia, grant that we may redeem the time in holiness, live by faith in Thy word, and work tirelessly for the spread of Thy Kingdom.
St. Frumentius, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, reign over us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, intercede for us.