The Catholic hymn “Be Not Afraid” resonates deeply, extending its reach beyond church walls to become a source of solace in times of fear and sorrow. Across Christian denominations, this song, found in countless hymnals, is often sung not in celebration, but as a heartfelt plea for peace amidst life’s storms. From bedside vigils to moments of personal upheaval, the simple yet powerful message of “Be Not Afraid” offers comfort and strength.
Readers of America magazine shared poignant stories of how this hymn became intertwined with their lives, revealing its profound impact. These personal narratives, woven through this article, illustrate the song’s unique ability to console, whether sung to a loved one in their final moments or as a personal anthem during life’s daunting transitions.
The genesis of this impactful hymn lies in the very emotion it seeks to dispel: fear. Bob Dufford, S.J., the composer of “Be Not Afraid,” began crafting this song during a period of personal anxiety.
It was 1972, a time of significant personal transition for Dufford, then preparing for his ordination as a Jesuit priest. During a Jesuit retreat, he grappled with uncertainties about his future path. Questions swirled in his mind: Where would his calling lead him? What kind of priestly work awaited? Would he be capable and effective in his ministry? This period of introspection was marked by a deep-seated anxiety about the unknown future that lay before him.
Seeking guidance, Dufford’s spiritual director suggested a contemplative approach, encouraging him to meditate on the Annunciation. The biblical scene of Mary’s encounter with the angel, who declared she would bear the Messiah, offered a powerful parallel to Dufford’s own feelings of being overwhelmed by the enormity of his calling. He read the passage, immersing himself in Mary’s initial reaction of being “greatly troubled” by the angel’s unexpected message. Amidst this turmoil, one phrase from the angel’s address stood out with striking clarity: “Do not be afraid.”
This simple yet profound command, “Be Not Afraid,” struck a chord deep within Father Dufford. During that retreat, the phrase emerged as the central theme of his burgeoning song, accompanied by the now-familiar melody. The initial seed of “Be Not Afraid” was planted in the fertile ground of personal apprehension, nurtured by a scriptural message of hope and reassurance.
As a hospice chaplain, I sang this song to many people as they neared death. I sang it through my tears to my own mother on her deathbed in 2013. Thank you. Susan C. Mitchell, BCC-ret ( Catholic board certified chaplain, retired.)
— Susan Mitchell (@chevychasesusan) February 14, 2018
The hymn’s development continued in the context of another significant transition. Weeks later, Father Dufford learned that a friend, Medical Mission Sister Therese Connolly, was preparing to embark on missionary work in Ghana. Inspired to complete the song before her departure, he turned to the concluding verses of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus’ reassuring promise, “I am with you always,” resonated deeply, providing the inspiration for the second line of the chorus: “I go before you always.” However, the song’s completion would be delayed for another year, gestating through further experiences and reflections.
Another piece of the song’s puzzle came from an unexpected source – an earlier, discarded melody. Father Dufford recounted in an interview with America how a line from a previous, unsuccessful song found its way into “Be Not Afraid.” He sang a fragment of the forgotten tune: “It was ‘Come, follow me, I will make you fishers of men,’ and I knew that was not going anywhere. It was a dumb melody, but I had the ‘Come, follow me.’ I kinda liked that part.” Rescuing this phrase, he integrated it into his new song, linking it with the comforting promise, “And I will give you rest,” to complete the chorus.
Following the completion of the chorus, Father Dufford was ordained. His responsibilities expanded as he began directing retreats himself. Finally, in the autumn of 1973, the verses of “Be Not Afraid” came to him, seemingly fully formed, completing the structure of the hymn. The period of gestation, marked by personal reflection and ministerial experiences, culminated in the finished song.
The following spring, Father Dufford shared his newly completed hymn at a liturgical music workshop. Among the attendees was his friend and fellow Jesuit songwriter, John Foley, renowned for composing “One Bread, One Body” and other beloved hymns. Foley recognized the nascent power of “Be Not Afraid.”
“Foley came to me and said, ‘You know, Duff, I think this is going to be a really important song.’ I said, ‘Yeah, right,’” Dufford remembered, reflecting on his initial skepticism. “[“Be Not Afraid’] always seemed like an ugly duckling…. I cobbled it together.” Despite his own reservations, Father Dufford’s friend sensed the song’s potential to touch hearts and offer solace.
However, Foley also offered constructive criticism, suggesting that Father Dufford refine the verses to flow more naturally, closer to spoken language. He pointed out that lines like “You shall cross the des-ert” could be improved to “You shall cross the bar-ren des-ert,” arguing that awkward accents could distract from the prayerful experience of singing the hymn.
Initially resistant to further revisions, Father Dufford admitted, “No way, I did not want to hear that… It took me 15 months to get the friggin’ thing done!” Yet, acknowledging the wisdom in Foley’s advice, he “grudgingly” made the necessary adjustments to the verses. With the verses refined, he submitted the song for publication, setting in motion its journey into the wider world.
Published and distributed in 1975, “Be Not Afraid” did not initially garner immediate widespread attention. However, slowly but surely, Father Dufford began receiving letters, each one a testament to the song’s growing impact. These personal stories revealed the profound ways in which “Be Not Afraid” was touching lives in moments of need. One woman shared how her family’s daily Rosary and singing of “Be Not Afraid” coincided with her husband’s decision to seek help for alcoholism through Alcoholics Anonymous. Another woman, an Anabaptist, recounted how the hymn provided solace and strength during her husband’s funeral, carrying her through her grief.
As a cantor I always loved the song. But it became personal as we were trying to grow our family (we adopted our daughter in 2014 after years of sorrow, hope, and waiting). I found myself humming it at night to fall asleep. Still do sometimes.
— Jeanette Fast Redmond (@FastEditing) February 14, 2018
Reflecting on these accumulating stories, Father Dufford expressed a sense of awe and humility. “These stories come back and I go, ‘Oh,’” he said, his voice tinged with wonder. “It’s just amazing. It’s a privilege to have been a part of making it.” The song, born from personal fear, was now becoming a source of courage and comfort for countless others.
In 1993, “Be Not Afraid” reached a new level of recognition when President Bill Clinton chose it to be played at the church service on the morning of his inauguration. In his autobiography, the former president described the hymn as “one of my favorite hymns and a good lesson for the day,” highlighting its message of reassurance and hope in the face of new beginnings and challenges. Father Dufford watched the service on television alongside the Jesuit who had originally advised him to contemplate the Annunciation. Turning to his mentor, Father Dufford remarked in disbelief, “Who’d a thunk that this would happen, that we’d both be sitting here years later, after this song’s been out, it’s been around the world, translated into several different languages?”
Sister Helen Prejean, renowned for her advocacy against the death penalty, further amplified the song’s message of hope in darkness. She often sang “Be Not Afraid” to inmates on death row, offering a message of spiritual companionship in their final hours. (Sister Prejean’s work was dramatized in the 1995 film “Dead Man Walking,” where the character based on her, portrayed by Susan Sarandon, sings “Be Not Afraid” in one of the movie’s most emotionally resonant scenes, conveying the lyrics: “If you stand before the gates of Hell and death is at your side, know that I am with you through it all.”)
Favourite BNA moment, Sister Helen’s character sings it in Dead Man Walking. My students said, “Hey, we sing that song!”
— Malcolm Lawrence (@MRLS5H3) February 15, 2018
“It’s the last thing that some of these guys hear,” Father Dufford reflected, deeply moved by this application of his song. “I was just—wow. What do you say to that?” The hymn, initially conceived as a personal response to fear of transition, had become a final message of comfort to those facing ultimate transition.
Initially, Father Dufford confessed to being somewhat perplexed by the stories of people finding comfort in “Be Not Afraid” during mourning or when facing the death of loved ones. “For me, it was a song of transition,” he explained, emphasizing its origins in his own anxieties about shifting roles within the Jesuit order. “There was a fear, but it was a fear of going from one place to another in the [Jesuits], ending one thing and starting another. I didn’t know what was going to come, and I had this sense of the promise of God: ‘I go before you always.’”
However, as he aged, Father Dufford’s understanding of the song’s meaning deepened and broadened. He began to recognize that the process of aging and facing mortality itself is perhaps the ultimate transition. “That’s the big one,” he acknowledged, realizing the hymn’s relevance to this universal human experience.
His work with a group of aging religious sisters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, further shaped his perspective. Having guided them through the Spiritual Exercises, he witnessed firsthand their struggles with “the diminishment of aging and letting go,” as they transitioned from active ministries to a new phase of life.
This was my daily mantra in the time leading up to and just after the death of my mom and then, 5 yrs later, my dad. I’d sing it in the shower as the tears flowed, in the car on my way to & from work, and then at nite to try to sleep. Most important 8 words in my life at the time
— Laura Syron (@LauraSyron1) February 14, 2018
Following his father’s death, Father Dufford sought to articulate the experiences of his father and the aging sisters. This reflection led him to add a new verse to “Be Not Afraid,” directly addressing the challenges of aging and diminishing capacities:
And when the earth has turned beneath you and your voice is seldom heard,
When the flood of gifts that blessed your life has long since ebbed away,
When your mind is thick and hope is thin and dark is all around,
I will stand beside you till the dawn.
“That’s what I saw in my dad at the time, and I see some of that in myself now, too,” Father Dufford shared, acknowledging the personal resonance of these newly added lines.
In a poignant closing reflection, Father Dufford described the evolving relationship with his own creation. “When these [songs] come back and start preaching to me, touching my heart, that’s when I’ve arrived,” he said. “[“Be Not Afraid”] is now coming back and comforting me, as it did when my father died.” The hymn, born from fear and intended to offer comfort, had come full circle, offering solace to its own composer as he navigated the transitions of life and loss. “Be Not Afraid” stands as a testament to the enduring power of music to articulate our deepest fears and offer unwavering hope.
