5th Week of Easter - Fortitude

"It is expedient for you that I depart." St. John, 16:7.

On one of the Hawaiian Islands far out on the Pacific there is a volcano called Mauna Loa. Its crater is nine miles around, and looks down into a lake of liquid fire that burns and smolders day and night. The natives believed that a fierce goddess, called Pele (pe-lay) lived in that flaming furnace. They were told that if a woman ever climbed that mountain, gathered berries from its bushes, and threw them into the crater, the goddess would rock the mountain with thunder and shatter the whole island.

About one hundred years ago Christian missionaries instructed the people in the one, true God, and gradually persuaded them to give up their false gods. But fear of the fierce Pele still made the natives tremble.

One day a native woman, a Christian convert, courageous in her new­found faith, decided to defy the fire-goddess and break forever the fear of her power. This woman's name was Kapiolani. She climbed the moun­tain, picked the berries and walked over to the edge of the crater. She threw in the sacred berries, shouting with all her might:

"If I perish by the anger of Pele, then dreadful is her power. Behold, I defy her; I break her orders - and yet I live and I am safe, because the Lord Almighty is my God. His power enkindled these flames and His hand restrains their fury."

Would that more Christians had such courage. Would that more follow­ers of Christ would bravely defy bigotry, and human respect, and class distinctions, and greed for gold, and greed for pleasure, the fires that burn perpetually in the crater of the human heart.

1. Courage was one of the outstanding characteristics of Christ. It is a mark of His followers. Courage or fortitude is one of the four cardinal virtues. It is that virtue which gives us strength of soul in meeting and bearing with difficulties for God and for our salvation. Courage is that quality of mind which enables one to meet dangers and difficulties with firmness and valor.

A. It overcomes our passions, especially the passion of fear, which it drives out or at least moderates. It checks the passion of anger, or directs it into channels of good.

B. It helps carry out the duties of our state in life. Who of us has no difficulties? Courage helps you to meet them.

C. It conquers the devil, that fallen angel, who schemes and plans day and night to lead us away from God.

D. It assists us in working out our salvation against great obstacles, hardships, and monotony. There is always some tough angle to what we have to do; there is always something or someone in the way; there is ever the apparent monotony of being good and doing good. Courage makes it thrilling to overcome these difficulties.

All these elements we find in the courage of the Christian woman who threw the sacred berries into the fierce volcano. There was the almost overpowering passion of fear. There was the difficulty that no woman had ever attempted it before. There was the devilish superstition, the false belief, that great harm would come to her and her people.
2. Courage has several assistant virtues, qualities which help do its work:

A. Magnanimity or greatness of soul inclines us to undertake heroic acts of every kind of virtue. An example of this is Abraham pre­paring to sacrifice his own son Isaac.

B. Magnificence or generosity inclines us to acts of great virtue at great personal expense, either in money or effort. We speak of the mag­nificent courage of a daughter who sacrifices a career or marriage in order to take care of an aging mother. Magnificence does not refer to the amount; it refers to the degree of sacrifice required. The widow's small contribution was praised by our Lord, because, although the amount was small, the sacrifice was great.

C. Patience, as an assistant to courage, enables us to bear setbacks and afflictions of body and soul for the sake of our salvation. Who of us does not have to bear ridicule of our religion? Who of us has not had to be patient in the face of stupid sneering and cold contempt of our Catholic faith?

D. Perseverance or stick-to-it-iveness holds the soul to its good purpose through thick and thin, through long-continued trials. What courage is demanded of the breadwinner who works with brain and brawn for years? What persevering courage must mother have to keep her family clothed and fed and healthy? What persevering courage to continue receiving Holy Communion daily or weekly?

3. Courage does not mean bold, brash and blustering daring. That is a vice rather than a virtue. An example would be reading a book against religion for no solid and sufficient reason.

The other extreme, excessive timidity, is also sinful. It prompts us to dodge dangers we can and should face. Some people, for example, are kept from a devout and sincere practice of their religion from fear, yes, fear of what others may think and say. They lack courage.

We also sin against the virtues allied to courage. Instead of being big­souled we are stingy-souled. Grudgingly we give God a little service on Sunday; and even, that is cut down by some lazy late-comers.

Being big-hearted can be carried to extremes, as can so-called patience and perseverance. Patience may be mere indifference. Perseverance may be obstinancy or cowardice.

To a certain extent courage is a natural virtue. But true religious, spiritual courage, the virtue in its fullness and strength comes only from above. Jesus tells the Apostles and He tells us that He is returning to heaven in order to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Fortitude, the Spirit of Courage, to everyone of us. When you need to be brave, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with fortitude.

May the Lord give us courage in every walk and phase of life. Amen.
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Adapted from Prayers, Precepts and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)