Sacraments and Courage

one

The Virtue of Fortitude is to do the right thing even when you don’t want to, especially in hardship. Fortitude enables you to overcome obstacles, threats, sufferings, difficulties and fears in pursuing what is good. The primary fear which fortitude helps us overcome is the fear of death.

Fortitude is the virtue of the soldier willing to give his life to save his people. Fortitude is the virtue of the Christian who is willing to sacrifice what is lesser for the sake of what is greater, and the greatest thing is union with God and heaven, which we receive in the Eucharist.   

Hebrews chapter 2:14-15 says Christ defeated Satan, since by his death he could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

Christianity is about overcoming death and everything death implies, whether that is losing all good things at once or any of them individually.

two

Whatever we do we are either obeying God or Satan. The person you obey is by definition your Master. By obeying Satan, all of us sinners have chosen him as our Master. The way Satan rewards us for our obedience is death. As Paul writes in Romans, “The wages of sin is death.”

Then Jesus, who is innocent, who does not deserve to be paid in death, goes to battle Satan. Satan sets in motion the process of the crucifixion by entering into the heart of Judas to betray the Lord, which is a catalyst for the passion and death of Jesus. Satan had no right to put Jesus to death because Christ was innocent and by so doing Satan forfeited his right to Jesus and because Jesus was joined to all humanity, Satan lost his right to all humans who willing turn to God.

By Jesus’ death he defeated the Prince of Death, Satan, who by the fear of death had kept us in slavery to him. Jesus set us free from the fear of death by defeating Satan and breaking his hold on us.

three

Jesus set us free from the fear of death by defeating Satan and breaking his hold on us.

What this means is that if we are attached in a disordered way to the good things of this life, Satan can use that as leverage by tempting us to commit this or that sin or you will lose this worldly thing.

But if you have no fear of death because you realize death is not so much the loss as the gain heaven and every good thing imaginable - if you do not fear the loss of the good things of this world - then Satan has no power, no leverage with you – he can’t tempt you to sin.

If you don’t fear death, and death means losing all good things at once. If you can let go of all the good things, and you should be able to let go of anything of this life, which is true for you and for the people you love. With this attitude, Satan can do nothing to you because you have no fear of death. Now Satan can threaten you with nothing. And you will be completely free to live the liberation that Hebrews 2 talks about.

four

Christianity is about overcoming the fear of death. So often we sin in the effort to protect the good things in life. Think honestly of how often we lie or act with greed, or we use other people to gain some position or protect something we have or we gossip and tear others down or we react in anger – all in the effort not to lose something we think will make us valuable, something that proves our worth in the world apart from God. All of which is just pride.

All this sin comes from fear. Its all an expression of the fear of death which means losing all good things at once or individually.

Holy Spirit reveal to me my habits of sin that come from my fear of losing things to which I attach my worth that are not God.

five

Fortitude is the virtue of the Christian who is willing to sacrifice what is lesser for what is greater and the greatest thing is union with God and Heaven.

Fortitude enables radical freedom by overcoming the fear of death and everything that implies…ready to lose all good things at once or any of them individually.

Satan says, “You should do this or I’ll spoil your reputation or ruin you financially or you lose your health or whatever.” And we respond, “I am ready to die because I place my hope of Jesus and Heaven for myself and my loved ones.” 

All stress and anxiety come from the fear of losing some good thing. Fortitude conquers that fear and liberates us from not only fear of death, but it also liberates us from all stress and anxiety.

Jesus gives us his Fortitude by giving Himself to us in the Eucharist.

Jesus said in John 6, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven…anyone who eats this bread will live forever.”

Death and the fear of death are conquered by Jesus in the Eucharist.

As the Battle of each day began,

·       Faustina found renewed strength in the Eucharist.

I find myself so weak that were it not for Holy Communion I would fall continually. One thing alone sustains me, and that is Holy Communion. From it I draw my strength; in it is all my comfort. I fear life on days when I do not receive Holy Communion. I fear my own self. Jesus concealed in the Host is everything to me. From the tabernacle I draw strength, power, courage and light. Here, I seek consolation in time of anguish. I would not know how to give glory to God if I did not have the Eucharist in my heart. Diary 1037

My child, make the resolution never to rely on people. Entrust yourself completely to My will saying, "Not as I want, but according to Your will, O God, let it be done unto me." These words, spoken from the depths of one's heart, can raise a soul to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul I delight. Such a soul gives Me glory. Such a soul fills heaven with the fragrance of her virtue. But understand that the strength by which you bear suffering comes from frequent Communions. So approach this fountain of mercy often, to draw with the vessel of trust whatever you need. 1487