THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE

20160509 THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading

Acts 19:1-8 ©

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ they answered, ‘No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ ‘Then how were you baptised?’ he asked. ‘With John’s baptism’ they replied. ‘John’s baptism’ said Paul ‘was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words, Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men.

  He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 67:2-7 ©

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

or

Alleluia!

Let God arise, let his foes be scattered.

  Let those who hate him flee before him.

As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away;

  like wax that melts before the fire,

  so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

or

Alleluia!

But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God,

  they shall exult and dance for joy.

O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;

  rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

or

Alleluia!

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,

  such is God in his holy place.

God gives the lonely a home to live in;

  he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Jn16:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

I came from the Father

and have come into the world,

and now I leave the world

to go to the Father.

Alleluia!

Or

Col3:1

Alleluia, alleluia!

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,

you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is,

sitting at God’s right hand.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 16:29-33 ©

His disciples said to Jesus, ‘Now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors! Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them:

‘Do you believe at last?

Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already –

when you will be scattered,

each going his own way and leaving me alone.

And yet I am not alone,

because the Father is with me.

I have told you all this

so that you may find peace in me.

In the world you will have trouble,

but be brave: I have conquered the world.’

THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ACTS 19:1-8; JOHN 16:29-33   ]

“In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world.”   Indeed, every day, we face so many challenges.  This life is truly very trying.  Troubles come every day and often not singly.  Be it in relationships or coping with our work, business and responsibilities in life, we can get discouraged.  At times we feel that the situation is so hopeless; that nothing seems to change and we feel like giving up.   How then can we be brave and persevere so that we will not let the trials of life defeat us?

We must consider how Jesus overcame the persecutions and suffering in His own life.  Where did He find the strength to complete His Father’s mission?  His strength came from His conscious awareness of the Father’s presence.  That is why He said, “And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”   The Father was with Him in the Holy Spirit.  He filled Jesus with His love by bestowing upon Him the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus knew the power and love of His Father just as the psalmist wrote, “Let God arise, let his foes be scattered. Let those who hate him flee before him. As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away; like wax that melts before the fire, so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.”   His Father will protect Him.   His Father is not only love but all powerful to destroy the foes.  Jesus too would have prayed, “Father of the orphan, defender of the widow, such is God in his holy place.  God gives the lonely a home to live in; he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.”  Indeed, this consciousness of His Father’s love and power gave Him peace in the midst of trials. 

We cannot overcome our difficulties merely by our own strength or will.    If we just rely on our own strength, we will fail.  Christianity is more than just right doctrines or right actions.  The capacity to do good and to remain firm in our beliefs is dependent not on the efforts of man alone but on the grace of God, which is given to us through Christ in the Holy Spirit.   It is the work of God in and through us, not ours. For this reason, St Paul “insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words Jesus.”  Salvation is by faith in the name of Jesus. In the early Church, Christians were baptized in the name of Jesus, that is, in His strength and power.   Only Christ can enable us to live the new life of grace.

The truth is that the baptism of John the Baptist was not complete.  Paul asked the disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus the following question, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”   They answered, “No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.”  They were only baptized with John’s baptism, which was merely a baptism of repentance.  Whilst repentance is necessary for one to accept the new life, it does not empower one to live accordingly.  Repentance is the first stage of conversion.  To be sorry for our sins and the desire to embrace a greater life is the initial step to take in the work of conversion.  But it is not sufficient because desiring to live the laws does not mean we can do it.

How does He empower us to live the life of grace if not by sending us the Holy Spirit? The same Spirit that empowered Jesus in His ministry is that same Spirit Jesus was preparing His disciples to receive.  Only in the Holy Spirit can we find the capacity, that is, the love of God, to love as Jesus did; and the charism, the gifts of the Spirit to enable us to carry out our mission.   Reception of the Holy Spirit is the key to be empowered. Indeed, today, the Lord promises us the gift of fortitude to overcome the fear and discouragement in our mission.  “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men.”

How is the gift of fortitude given to us in the Holy Spirit?  

Firstly, fortitude in life comes from knowing that we are not alone.  Indeed, Jesus was able to face the passion and the crucifixion because He knew that the Father was with Him.  He declared, “And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”  So too we are never alone because Jesus promised that He would not leave us orphaned.  He will send us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the love of God, His Spirit and that of His Father to dwell in us.  They will make their home in us.  So with the divine presence and love in us, we can take heart that we are not alone.  Even when we think we are alone, Christ is with us.  Sometimes, He would send His angels to help us through our friends and even strangers.

Secondly, fortitude comes from being understood and from understanding.  To know that Jesus understands us and feels with us gives us courage to carry on.  In life, we all face trials, but when we have someone who feels with us and is able to empathize with us, we find the strength to endure the trials of life.  Jesus fully understands us.  The great thing about Jesus is not that He has come to reveal to us who God is but who we are.   He is not only truly God but truly man.  He understands our struggles and the temptations of life.  For this reason, Jesus is always full of compassion.  He does not judge us or condemn us because He knows how hard we try.  Even when we fail, He does not judge us by our actions but by our sincerity to do good.   His ability to sync with us human beings is the cause of our peace.  Jesus knows our weakness.  Hence, when they said they now know Jesus; that He was God and man, the response of Jesus was perceptive.   Jesus was able to read their hearts and this made Him reply, “Do you believe at last? Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already – when you will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone.”

But it is not enough that He understands us, we must also try to understand Him and have confidence in Him.  So in prayer, we will also come to understand His plans for us and learn to trust in His divine providence.  When we understand His care for us, we can then learn to let go and let Him take over.

He assures us that He forgives us.  He does not keep grudges.  He knows we are weak.  He loves us for what we are and seeks to help us become what God wants of us.  It was for this reason, knowing that the disciples would betray Him, that He assured them that He understands them and have forgiven them, so that they will not condemn and hate themselves.  Within this context, He said, “I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me.”  Peace comes from forgiveness that is freely given and received.

Precisely, in the Holy Spirit, we come to experience the Father’s love through Jesus who forgives us and then sends us the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins.   We do not have to condemn ourselves for the Lord knows that we will sin.   But even before we sin, He has already forgiven us.  He knows that when we sin we hurt ourselves even more, especially when we know that He loves us much.  There is no greater guilt than to hurt those who love us.   This thought of His unconditional love and forgiveness for us will empower us to change because of love, not of fear.

In the final analysis, only the love of the Holy Spirit, the love of God can give us the capacity to overcome our fears and trials in life.  St Paul had the courage to proclaim the gospel boldly in the synagogue because he too felt the presence of God’s love for Him.  Most of all, he was inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit who gave him courage and fortitude in the face of his enemies.  “He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.”

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved