Courage in the Face of Fear

Homily for Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit that we call fortitude “enables one to conquer fear, even the fear of death, and to face trials and persecution.” It can be likened to courage in the face of danger. Courage is expressed in both of the readings for today’s liturgy.

David the shepherd-poet, confidently and courageously steps forward and volunteers to fight the Philistines, despite their military superiority. Yet even the King is unconvinced, for all that he can see before him is a young man, untrained in war with more bravado than experience. The scene is more reminiscent of a Hollywood movie than a moment of faith; even the powerful Goliath is dismissive of the young David. Despite his age and lack of military training, David has one great gift – total confidence in God and the courage to trust in his strength. He does not hesitate, nor does he show fear.

Jesus embodies the same confidence as he enters the synagogue and heals the man with the withered hand. He doesn’t just trust in the Father, he does his Father’s will. Jesus knows the Pharisees are watching his every move and that a healing would be seen as a breach of the Sabbath, yet he heals the man anyway. Like David, he won’t be dissuaded or deterred – truth cannot be hidden.

Do we have the same confidence and courage in living out our lives, or do we allow ourselves to be limited by our fears and the opinions of others? Fortitude or courage is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We need fortitude and courage to be faithful in our daily lives, to stand up for the Lord and his Gospel. Muhammad Ali, who some claim to be the greatest prize fighter in history, once said: “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

Grace gives us this important gift of the Holy Spirit – actual grace – the kind of grace that we need to face temptations and trials. We received these gifts through our Baptism and the Sacrament of Confirmation. All graces, however, are renewed in the Eucharist. Let us accept the gift of courage as we receive our Lord today in our communion.