18 May 2015 - meant to be courageous

Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.

Fear is something we all have to face as Christians. We do have trouble in the world. We fear all of the ways in which trouble may come. It isn't necessarily an anxiety disorder which totally paralyzes us. Often it is just enough fear to keep us in our own homes, scattered, and isolated from the community. It is a fear that we counter by making ourselves comfortable. Yet this comfort makes us ineffective in the kingdom. Instead of this illusory comfort let us listen to Jesus: "take courage, I have conquered the world." We don't have to run from trouble. We don't have to prioritize our own comfort above all. We need to receive the courage which Jesus gives. We need to receive the fearlessness that comes when the world has done its worst and its worst is not enough. We are unstoppable because, "he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (cf. 1 Joh. 4:4).

This courage is given to us by the Holy Spirit. This is the gift Isaiah mentions, also called fortitude, forbearance, strength, and endurance. By this gift, " we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ" (CCC 1831). This gift relates to one of the most desired fruits of the Holy Spirit: the fruit of peace. It is not a peace as the world gives it, a peace that comes only when circumstances are perfect. It is the peace of those who have overcome the world.

We need to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit more than we have. There is no one excluded from this need. He always has more for us than we are willing to receive. The gifts he wants to give are not optional extras. They are given to edify us so that we can live lives of virtue. They are given for the building of the Church.

We can't people who say, "We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Yet so many in the Church live this way. We ourselves still spend days or weeks or months acting like this between bursts of Holy Spirit power breaking through in our lives. Jesus wants more for us than this.

And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.

May Paul pray for us to be more open to the Holy Spirit. May we find brothers and sisters who can lay hands on us and help us to open ourselves more to the Spirit. May we be filled with all the gifts he intends for us to have.

But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.