Rob Schweers (OLIH Parishioner) writes:
Everyday Courage
Sometimes things happen that remind us God has a sense of humor. This blog post is one of those things.
Not because I don’t like to write – I do it for a living – but because fortitude, specifically the courage to not be afraid, is my Achille’s heel.
We all have Achille’s heels, of course. No matter how well put together you or I may seem, there is a part of us that is still exposed. For me, that’s the courage to get out of my comfort zone without fear of failure, or what others may think of me. But as my wife gently reminds me, “That ship sailed a long time ago, honey.”
Even worse than the fear of failure might be the assumption of failure. The sense of “I know I can’t do this” keeps us from even trying. We just sit on the sidelines, wondering what could have been.
What’s your Achille’s heel?
Finding fortitude in the day to day
Perhaps the secret to overcoming our big fears is by conquering the small ones.
As Edward Sri writes in the opening to this section, fortitude is the virtue that moderates our fears, and gives us the courage to face our day-to-day challenges. While some challenges are great – disease, or challenges in marriage, are two examples – most are smaller, everyday issues.
And there is no shortage of everyday challenges:
Sensitive discussions with friends and family
Resisting temptation
Stepping out of our comfort zone
Making a job change
Acknowledging we can’t do it alone
And driving down Delaware Avenue on a Saturday afternoon in December
(Just making sure you’re still awake!)
These days, it takes courage to unplug not just from social media, but from work! We’re more connected than ever before. I can get work emails on my laptop and phone, and text messages on my wrist. I can work, literally, from anywhere in the world, even when I’m on vacation, or out to dinner, or when my family would rather I spend the time with them. Is that virtuous? What is it we’re afraid of when we run to do more work?
What’s your motive?
Courage isn’t always about saying yes. Sometimes it may mean saying no to things we hold dear. Ever since I was a kid, I had dreamed of being famous. Perhaps a baseball player, or a best-selling author. It didn’t matter what, as long as I was a famous something.
But over time, I had to question my motive. Am I writing that best-seller for the joy of writing, and as an outlet for my creativity, or do I want the fame and fortune? The more questions I asked, the more I saw the downsides. And now that goal has quietly drifted away. Better to be humble on earth and a saint in Heaven.
Spiritual fortitude
The other way to conquer our fears is through faith.
Sri writes about the difference between the “world” and how we are called to live out our faith. So our fear, to paraphrase the prayer to St. Michael, is just one more wicked snare of the devil designed to keep us from advancing in our virtue, and ultimately in our quest for heaven.
One of the fears I have conquered over my adult life is the fear of the Rite of Reconciliation. It takes courage to sit face to face with someone you see every week and acknowledge your weakest moments. Even the ones we wouldn’t tell our spouse of best friend.
In the same manner, we tend to be afraid of asking forgiveness from others, which leads us to not forgive them. Or ourselves. And that fear keeps us from the continuous improvement we need to live out our lives as Christ’s disciples.
We also need the courage to not be complacent in our faith – to not accept where we are today, however great that may be – but to always strive for a deeper and more loving relationship with our Lord. When things are going great, I tend to be like Peter at the Transfiguration: Hey this is pretty cool – let’s put up our tents and stay here forever! But Jesus had the courage to surrender to His father’s will, and to finish the story.
The saints were people who rejected complacency. They were ordinary people who, through their fortitude and other gifts, and by surrendering their fears to God, lived extraordinary lives. Yet we are afraid to follow in their footsteps, even as we pray for their intercessions.
One more resolution
Jesus is calling us out of the boat. As we begin the new year, may we resolve to set our fears aside. To let go, to listen, and submit to His plan for our lives, with open ears, an open heart, and the confidence that the Lord is with us on the journey.
Your Brother in Christ,
Rob Schweers
Reading plan:
Monday, January 30 – Friday, February 3 – Fortitude
Monday, February 6 – Friday, February 10 – Temperance
Monday, February 13 – Friday, February 17 - Justice