As believers in the world we live in today,
it indeed is not our lack of ability to fully comprehend the beautiful eternal
mysteries of faith that burdens our belief, it is our constant lack of trust
that does so. This distrust is simply rooted in the transient fear within us,
which is often the unifying principle that is reflected by emotions such as:
nerves, anxiety, tiredness, sorrow, doubt etc. Too many times we find ourselves
unknowingly reducing God’s truth to these emotions, which are in the first place
implemented not by the mere presence of fear itself, but by our own actions-
willing fear to take capacity of our animating reason. We must practice and
live courageous lives, lives of fortitude; for it is through the courage of
trusting our faith, which our salvation rests.
Many may be deceived into thinking that in
order for one to be courageous, it means that one must lack the sense of fear.
This misconception, a formulation of secular modern language, reduces the
intelligibility. However, in reality, to be courageous, it means to sense fear
and transcend beyond it. Fortitude is not defined by the absence of fear; in
fact as St. Thomas conveys it, fortitude is the moderation of fear. “Hence
fortitude is chiefly about fear of difficult things…not only firmly to bear the
assault of these difficulties by restraining fear, but also moderately to
withstand them, when, to wit, it is necessary to dispel them altogether in
order to free oneself therefrom for the future, which seems to come under the
notion of daring. Therefore fortitude is about fear and daring, as curbing fear
and moderating daring.”
A simple reflection of Christ’s Agony in the
Garden, could help us parallel the true meaning of fortitude, as defined by St.
Thomas. As scripture reads, Christ, whose courage is above all, did
indeed sense fear. We see this when we hear these very words flow from Christ’s
precious lips: “My soul is sorrowful even to death.” and “My Father, if it is
possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you
will.” As well, we receive insight from the holy Gospels of Mark and
Matthew as it is written: “He [Jesus] took with him Peter, James, and John, and
began to be troubled and distressed.” and “He [Jesus Christ] was in
such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.” It is evident with Christ, that although the
opportunity of fear was present, He was able to moderate it and rise above it.
This truly is the act of courage. In The Agony of the Garden, God shows us His
true work of courage, through fear itself.
Ultimately, we should have the courage to
never let fear keep us from doing God’s work. We can see in a
conversation between St. Faustina and Christ, that fear will be present, but in
order for God’s will to be done, we must not give in to fear and rise above it.
(In the person of St. Faustina) “He [Christ]
said, My daughter, why are you giving in to thoughts of fear? I
answered, “O Lord, You know why.” And He said, Why? “This work
frightens me. You know that I am incapable of carrying it out.” And
He said, Why? “You see very well that I am not in good health,
that I have no education, that I have no money, that I am an abyss of misery,
that I fear contacts with people. Jesus, I desire only You. You can
release me from this.” And the Lord said to me, My daughter, what you
have said is true. You are very miserable, and it pleased Me to carry out
this work of mercy precisely through you who are nothing but misery
itself. Do not fear; I will not leave you alone. Do whatever you
can in this matter; I will accomplish everything that is lacking in you.
You know what is within your power to do; do that.”
In St. Faustina’s diary, it is exemplified
that Christ indeed will use us for the completion of His will in the presence
of fear. So as Christ did in the Agony of the Garden and St. Faustina in her
witness to Christ’s mercy, we should have the fortitude to see fear, moderate
it and rise above it.
Let us rejoice today, as the Church sings of Her Risen King! Alleluia, Alleluia!
