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Courage

bp-reflections

We are living in very unstable time. Almost since the beginning of last year, when virus struck the world, our personal, family, community life has changed. This also impacted on our spiritual live since many restrictions limited our possibility to worship God in the community in our churches. Out of fear some people drifted away from Sunday Eucharist. Fear of loosing our life drives us to do any practical measures to protect ourselves. Recent outbreak of the virus in Sydney motivated many people to receive vaccination and that showed us how important and precious is to us the gift of life.

In the time of uncertainty when fear of loosing our life stopes us of doing right things in our life we need the gift of courage. We have to remember that this gift has been given to us in the sacrament of confirmation as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes those gifts are still unwrapped. We received them in the sacrament, reflected about them and placed them somewhere in the bookshelves in our heart where dust of our daily life covers them thoroughly. In the meantime, fear is starting to dominate our daily life. So, this is the time to look again at bookshelf in our heart and find the gift with the tile COURAGE.

Jesus Christ is the Lord of life. He became man in order to restore in us the fulness of God’s gift of life. On many different occasions Jesus said, “do not be afraid” encouraging us to entrust ourselves to God because in Him our soul can find rest and peace. Before returning to the Father, He promised us the Holy Spirit: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. (…) the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid”.
“In te Domine Speravi” (In You, Lord, I place my trust) is included in my Coat of Arms and it is my life motto which I have been using since my teenage life. That trust in God I want to share with others, especially In the pandemic time.

If fear teaches your heart, ask God to help you unwrap the gift of courage. Entrust yourself in God.

Pandemic – prayer for courage

Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught me how to love others as you have loved me and to care for those in need as if I were caring for you.
In this pandemic time of anxiety, give me strength to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick, and to support those isolated from their loved ones, by sharing your love. Help me to find ways to reach out to those who need my support. Loving God, give them your peace, and through my hands ensure they have what they need.
As I pray for all who feel stressed and worried, I ask you also to free me from panic and fear. Give me courage to protect others by protecting myself through vaccination.
Above all, my God, strengthen my trust in you. And so, it is in you alone my soul waits in silence, from you comes my salvation. You alone are my rock, my fortress; I shall not be shaken because my hope comes from You. I trust in you at all times, and especially in this time of pandemic. My Lord and my God, I pour out my heart before you, because you are my refuge. In You alone my soul can find rest and peace. AMEN

(Inspired by Psalm 62)