We had reflected on the virtue of fortitude in context with the readings from the book of Maccabees; those courageous men and women of the People of Israel. I also pointed out that we need this virtue for our Christian witness in the world, which, in an extreme case, can go as far as martyrdom. We can train ourselves in the virtue of fortitude, and we should not be discouraged if we are naturally fearful. The story of the novice Blanche de la Force (narrated in Gertud von Le Fort’s novel “The Last One at the Scaffold”) can encourage these fearful souls, showing them that they too can be capable of heroic deeds.
The Reign of Christ
Lk 23:35b-43
At that time, the leaders jeered at him with the words, ‘He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, coming up to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews’. One of the criminals hanging there abused him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He answered him, ‘In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’
The virtue of fortitude – Part II
Fortitude – which is considered as one of the four cardinal virtues – is part of the basic equipment of a soldier. If he does not become courageous, he cannot be counted on in the toughest battles, for fear would take hold of him, so that the situation would become dangerous for all his comrades.
It is easy to make this observation when we think of physical warfare. But physical warfare is a reflection of the spiritual combat in which we find ourselves. In chapter 6 of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul makes us understand that our struggle is against “the principalities, the powers, the rulers of this dark world and the spirits of evil that are in the air” (v. 12).
The war in which we find ourselves must be fought on many levels, and the Lord does not exempt us from doing our part. Each in his own way, and according to the circumstances in which he finds himself, needs the virtue of fortitude and must learn to overcome all cowardice and to restrain his fearfulness, so that it does not prevent him from doing what the Lord wants of him.
The virtue of fortitude (Part I)
The readings of the last few days presented us with impressive examples of faith, faithfulness and fortitude. I have therefore decided to dedicate some meditations to the cardinal virtue of fortitude. In these times of turmoil, it is particularly important to aspire to and practice this virtue, in order to be able to resist the various temptations that are presented to us. Let us take as our model those people we met in the readings of the last days, who showed us that obedience and faithfulness to God are above all earthly values and that, with God’s help, it is even possible to overcome fear.
Fortitude does not mean the absence of fear. It is not the ideal of courage conveyed to us in the stories of heroes who fear nothing and no one. Even a fearful person can, through grace, become strong and courageous, because it is God who makes them capable of it. But he, for his part, will have to exercise himself in this virtue and acquire it. It is not that we can simply avoid being overcome by this fear that appears without our seeking it, but what we can do are concrete acts, so that it does not paralyse us, preventing us from doing what has been entrusted to us.
Obedience to God comes before obedience to men
1 Macc 2:15-29
‘The king’s commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for the sacrifices. Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart. The king’s commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, ‘You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you. Be the first to step forward and conform to the king’s decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons will be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.’ Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors. May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.
Incredible bravery
2 Macc 7:1,20-31
It also happened that seven brothers were arrested with their mother. The king tried to force them to taste some pork, which the Law forbids, by torturing them with whips and scourges. But the mother was especially admirable and worthy of honourable remembrance, for she watched the death of seven sons in the course of a single day, and bravely endured it because of her hopes in the Lord. Indeed she encouraged each of them in their ancestral tongue; filled with noble conviction, she reinforced her womanly argument with manly courage, saying to them, ‘I do not know how you appeared in my womb; it was not I who endowed you with breath and life, I had not the shaping of your every part. And hence, the Creator of the world, who made everyone and ordained the origin of all things, will in his mercy give you back breath and life, since for the sake of his laws you have no concern for yourselves.’
Faithful till the death
2 Macc 6:18-31
Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most noble appearance, had his mouth forced open, to make him eat a piece of pork. But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, walked of his own accord to the torture of the wheel, having spat the stuff out, as befits those with the courage to reject what is not lawful to taste, rather than live. The people supervising the ritual meal, forbidden by the Law, because of the length of time for which they had known him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properly use, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king; this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted by their long friendship.
Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus: Miracles in the service of evangelization
Today, the traditional calendar commemorates Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, a saint credited by the Lord with performing extraordinary miracles. In today’s meditation, I will recount some of them. We know that the ministry of Our Lord and the apostles was also accompanied by great miracles, manifesting God’s loving omnipotence.
While miracles should not occupy a central place in our faith, and we should not seek extraordinary phenomena out of sensationalism, we cannot overlook them—much less deny them. Miracles continue to occur today, as in Lourdes (France), where they are even subjected to scientific investigation.
We can marvel at the many miracles St. Gregory performed in God’s name, which validated his message and led many to faith. Indeed, the latter is the greatest miracle that can happen in a person’s life: to awaken to true faith and begin to live as a child of God.
Saint Otmar, abbot: slandered and exiled
Today we commemorate a saint closely linked to the Lake Constance region, where the motherhouse of the Agnus Dei Community is located.
Otmar was born around 690, likely into a noble Alemannic family. Thanks to his brother, he was welcomed as a child into the court of Count Victor in Chur (Switzerland), where he received a good education and stood out not only for his talent and diligence, but above all for his devotion and piety.
He was ordained a priest and, for a time, served in the church of St. Florin. Soon after, however, Tribune Waltram placed him in charge of the hermitage of St. Gall, where the monastery of St. Gall now stands. The hermitage of this Irish missionary, who had brought the faith to that region, was on the verge of falling into ruin barely a century after its construction. The small Christian community that gathered around the tomb of St. Gall was close to extinction. Otmar founded a monastic community there, replacing the saint’s wooden cell with a stone church.
Praying without losing heart
Lk 18:1-8
And Jesus told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”