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Deacon Tom Writes ©
“We are always courageous”
“We are always courageous” St. Paul writes to the Corinthians
because “we walk by faith, not by sight”.
It does take a lot of courage to put your heart and soul into something
when you’re not sure what the outcome of your efforts will be. St. Paul set a
good example for us as he preached the kingdom of God to the Corinthians. “The kingdom of God is among you” (LK
17:21), Jesus told his disciples. It has its roots here in this life and
yet much of the fruit won’t be ready for harvesting until the next life, when
we “appear before the judgment seat of
Christ… and receive recompense” for what we have done, “…whether good or evil”.
It takes courage to give
witness to the gospel of Christ by living each day in accordance with the
values Christ taught us. Being a follower of Christ is easier said than done. It’s
easier to preach ten sermons than to live one, as the saying goes!
St. Paul was on to something when
he spoke of the courage it takes to live a life of faith. It takes courage to
have one foot planted firmly here in this world, in terra firma as they say,
and the other foot planted in that spiritual realm, the kingdom of God, that
Christ preached to help govern and direct our lives. People of faith face much
difficulty trying to manage their responsibilities, in attempting to balance
the realities of this world…the need to provide for family, to pay the
mortgage, to save for college for the kids, and taking care of ageing parents
all while living virtuous lives that reflect the gospel values.
It takes courage to face our
own struggles and at the same time to reach out and help others who face their
own set of challenges and difficulties. It takes courage to visit the soup
kitchen each week and not feel helpless in the face of the endless need. It
takes courage to work for peace and justice with all that we see happening in
our communities and in the world. Yet, our faith constantly encourages us to be
courageous and not lose heart in the face of the obstacles we encounter.
It is so important as
Christians to be constantly aware of God’s love and to remember that God’s
grace is always at work in us, giving us the courage to persevere in our
faith. Aware of God’s love and
presence in our lives, we are then better able to love and serve him by loving
one another.
Enjoy the Day!
Deacon Tom
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