Do Not Be Afraid

"Do Not be Afraid” is a congregational chorus based on the words of the angel in John 20:11-28. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus on the day that He had risen from the dead. She was weeping as she found His tomb open with His burial garments on the ground. The angel, who rolled the door of the tomb open, turned to Mary and told her not to be afraid. He continued to share how Christ had risen from the dead.
The melodic line rises and falls, sweetly and slowly, as spoken words. The piano accompanies this theme, with arpeggios and a flowing countermelody in the right hand. The melody begins on the tonic note of the chord, formed through stepwise motion, upward and downard. “Do not be afraid” is written in straight time. All other words are dotted, sixteenth tied notes, or held notes. This technique allows for the words, “do not be afraid”, to remain the focus of the work.