Tag: courage

This morning was like any other morning. I was on the skytain on the way to work. It was lightly drizzling, and there was barely any room for me to stand comfortably on the train. I was still feeling the effects of the very busy weekend and truth be told, I was quite restless. There in the corner of my eye, I saw, much to my amazement, a young man, around my age, standing right in front of me, so confidently and so proudly doing the sign of the cross.

Like any young and devout Catholic, a curiousity in me sparked so I decided to (very stealthily) see what this young man was doing. His lips were moving, and I could tell he was praying. When I looked even closer, I could tell he was praying the Rosary. He was very engaged and he didn’t seem to care that others were staring. He prayed, because he wanted to engage in conversation in the Lord, and venerate Our Lady. The only thing that mattered to that person in that present time, was God and nothing – not the other commuters, not the drowziness of an early morning, not the less-than-stellar weather – would get in the way of that.

This stranger taught me a very important lesson in courage. We often hear about brothers and sisters who hesitate to show their faith publically; be it praying over their food, or talking about their faith. We’re so comfortable with sharing in the faith within the confines of the CFC community, but when the time comes that the Lord gives us an oppurtunity to be courageous outside of our comforts, we falter. Why is that? It’s not because we lack faith, it’s because we lack courage. Courage or in other words, fortitude, is a cardinal virtue that allows us, as CFC Youth, to live out our call to martyrdom on a daily basis. Standing tall in faith involves a dying and denying of self, maybe not physically, but spiritually.

In light of recent events, we are affirmed of this call to courage in the abdication of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, the Supreme Pontiff. He has shown great example of humility and courage. Despite the splendor and honour of being the Vicar of the Church, He knew his health was declining. His relationship with the Lord was so personal and intimate that it was easy for him to show great fortitude in this untimely and shocking decision. We, too, must align our unshakable faith with our willingness and conviction to do what the Lord has called us to do – to live this Christian life with vigor and zeal!

Lord, grant that I may have the courage to do what is most difficult, so long as it is in your divine will. Amen

cpm