Deacon Tom Writes
“We Are Always Courageous”
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Courageous may indeed accurately describe the person who “walks by faith, not by sight”. But, first it is helpful to describe what we mean by “faith”. By professing to be Christian we take on the obligation to live according to the standards Jesus taught and demonstrated in the Gospels. In the simplest of terms it means that we put our heart and soul into living each day mindful of the calling that we have received; we place our trust in God and in his will for us. Walking by faith means that we do the best we can; we make our plans; we put our best foot forward; we navigate the day with a particular vision that keeps us mindful of the inherent dignity of the other person; we are immersed in the belief that “everyone” is our “neighbor”; we don’t ignore that we have done some things that we are not proud of and have hurt others and so we are aware of our sinful nature, our dark side, that is much in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Walking by faith means we put forth our best effort and then depend upon God for the outcome. These behaviors are at the heart of what it means to live courageously as St. Paul explains to the Corinthians. We Christians choose to follow the Jesus’ teachings because we know that one day... we will “appear before the judgment seat of Christ”.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. It takes courage to seek the “Truth” of the gospel and to live according to, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life” instead of the falsity the world dangles before our eyes. It takes courage “love neighbor as ourself” and to stand by and up for the immigrant, the marginalized, the outcast. It takes courage to recall that Jesus’ table fellowship with these very people was the reason he was put to death. Yet, our faith constantly encourages us to be courageous and not lose heart in the face of the obstacles, ridicule, even persecution the world puts before us. For Jesus was politically savvy enough to warn his disciples, “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first”. (John 15:18)
It is so important as Catholic 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 fueled by the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation, we are then better able to love and serve our God who first loved us by loving one another.
Enjoy the moment!
Deacon Tom
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