“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 

It is not easy to be courageous. It is not always easy to do what is right. And frankly, in today’s world, it is most certainly not easy to be a man or a woman of faith. We are faced with challenges big and small every day at every turn. When we were younger we were taught to “stand up for what is right”, and truthfully? It’s hard!

Having courage can be terrifying, painful and uncomfortable. But it can also be triumphant, inspiring, and redeeming. St. Thomas Aquinas says that “courage is the necessary condition of every virtue as it provides the strength of will needed to exercise any virtue consistently”. Think of courage as the roots of a tree that allow the branches to grow and the fruit to ripen. We need to be courageous in order to flourish. We need to open our arms wide to discomfort and invite God into the journey with us. When we live in comfort, we remain the same. God doesn’t call us to be stagnant, he calls us to a life that is magnanimous!

Without courage, we live in fear. Fear of not being good enough, the fear of being abandoned, the fear of being misunderstood, the fear of being rejected, the fear of failure. There can be fear in even the smallest things. Life is precious because it is so fragile, and it is natural to be afraid in life and to be uncertain. But with courage, we can overcome that fear and live as God intended us to, to the fullest. Again, St. Thomas Aquinas says that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome fear. It is okay to be unsure, and afraid, but with courage, our roots grow deep and we can flourish amidst the fear and doubt. With the strength of Jesus and his valiant display of courage, we can begin to live magnanimously.

Just as with anything else, practicing courage in small ways will equip us to be courageous in everything. Try this month to find ways to be courageous. Face your challenges head on instead of putting them off for later. Stand up for what you believe in even if it is uncomfortable. Pray to our Lord for courage in everything. The roots are our foundation, we want to make sure it is a strong one. “To have courage for whatever comes in life, everything lies in that.” St. Theresa of Avila.

Dear Jesus,
lay your wounded hand upon my weary head,
and teach me to have courage in the paths that I must tread.
Bless me, and bless those whom I love,
and give us grace to see these crosses
bravely borne by us will keep us close to Thee.
And if at times a shadow falls in unexpected ways,
put Your gentle Hand in mine and guide me through the days.
So bless my people, one and all, with Your protecting grace,
and impart to them Your wisdom before they meet You face to face.

Amen.