He gives power to the faint, abundant strength to the weak (Isaiah 40:29).

Fortitude, or courage, is often associated with the willingness to face physical danger.  Fortitude is especially associated with the willingness to defend those you love.  But let’s take this to a higher level.  The Christian understanding of fortitude, while including physical courage, is not limited to that. Fortitude strengthens the will so that we make the right choice even when faced with great difficulty.  Practicing the Christian virtue of fortitude is often about the far less dramatic task of remaining committed to putting one foot in front of the other, like participating in weekly Sunday Mass, praying regularly, and performing acts of charity. It is not easy.  However, fortitude in the face of tedium and weariness will eventually lead to the victory of being in heaven with God.  Recall what Jesus tells us,  The one who perseveres to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).

Prayer for Fortitude

Dear Jesus, lay Your hand upon my 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 You.  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 until they meet You face to face.  Amen.

David J. Conrad

Today St. James reminds us to walk the walk—not just talk the talk. He tells us that the Word has been planted within us and is able to save us, if we are “doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding ourselves.” We hear these words of St. James today after the Old Testament Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy about observing the statutes and decrees of God. Moses tells the people that observing these laws carefully gives evidence of wisdom and intelligence—and that by following the law (the commandments of the Lord) you will be happy and this will set you free. He tells us that in living the law we evince God—as doers of God’s law—and that we are evidence of God’s goodness and mercy.

​The Responsorial Psalm that we hear between the first and second reading tells us explicitly: “They who do justice will live in the presence of God.” The Psalm today (#15) is literally a list of what to do or not to do: basically the idea is to be a just person and then you will live in the presence of God (now and later, I think). St. James (the Second Reading) puts it all more simply: “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word…care for orphans and widows…and keep oneself unstained by the world.”

In the Gospel (we are back to St. Mark!), we hear about people honoring God with their lips and not their hearts; living the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. It is clear in all the readings today that we must live our Christian life characterized more by what we do, than what we say we are...

The Gospel story also tells us to watch carefully what comes from within us—that we must examine our consciences for those things that are evil, to be watchdogs of our motives for the things we say and do. Jesus talks about ritual for its own sake rather than for the heart of belief, and he quotes Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…” We all have experienced this at times; we know Christians who judge and condemn, who have a lack of compassion or mercy. Jesus continues, “…in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts…” We are told that we disregard God’s law of love and cling to human tradition as if it were law. In the Gospel today, Jesus warns us to know the difference.

In a discussion with a non-believing family member, I was informed that the Church was full of hypocrites. Wow! Surprise! Stop the presses! (or the blogs…) News flash! I had no idea that people come to church with impure motives, smile when they don't even like you, and really don't mean it when they sing “Here I Am, Lord.” I'm just shocked. Of course, it's nice to know that God has rounded up all the hypocrites and put them in church buildings—at least on Sunday mornings—so that all the other people in the world who have pristine motives and clear consciences don't have to put up with them… (Yes, I know, a little sarcasm…)

But my family member is right, you know…there are hypocrites in the church. There are Christians who would fight to the death over the inspiration of the Bible, but who rarely take it down off the shelf to read it for themselves. There are Christians who would defend the importance of the Church, but who think nothing of gossiping about and slandering its fellow members. There are Christians who profess the peace of Christ and cry war; who profess love and spread hateful attitudes; and those who have a lack of charity for the marginalized and poor of the world.

I really am rarely surprised anymore, but I am frequently amazed at some of the attitudes that we Christians exhibit. I think it must astound and distress the Lord at our inconsistency between our beliefs and our behaviors—our ability to say we believe one thing while living another. I pray that we all stop deluding ourselves and that today we listen carefully to the Word of God proclaimed and ask: “Am I just a hearer of the Word, rather than a doer—do I live the Gospel of Christ?” Food for thought.

Keep singing!

Elizabeth Dyc

Just a Note:  Here are a couple of songs about the Word of God. Be Doers, but be Hearers of these songs….

One may be tempted to think that being hope-filled is a bunch of nonsense, but I think such a supposition comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of what hope truly is.  To be hope-filled means we are not optimists, nor - obviously - pessimists, but instead realists.  We live our lives with a deep-seated joy, found only in God, with whom we are to have a solid relationship.

​Notice that practicing hope is only possible through having a relationship with God.  Hope is God’s gift, and together with faith and charity make us more like God and allow us to participate in His own life.

Hope is rooted in faith, where we entrust ourselves to another.  When we have faith in God it means we’ve entrusted ourselves to Him.  Faith isn’t a set of propositions or an agreement; it’s a relationship.  Hope is this trust extended into the future.  So as I look forward into life; into the end of life, I’m not just optimistic about how things will turn out.  What I’m doing is living that relationship and saying, “As I look forward into life, this relationship I have with, You, God, will be the thing that bears me up.”  This relationship with God is going to be what is with me forever.  That’s the great thing about hope for us Christians: it doesn’t have to be rooted in things going well for us; there’s something bigger than things going well for us.  It’s this relationship of trust in God.  He has not failed us, He is not failing us, and He will not fail us.  This doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen to us, but it does mean that as we journey through life God will be with us at our side.

A few words of caution on some extremes to avoid:

• Presumption: “I don’t really need God. I can do it on my own.”  “God doesn’t really mind what I do.”  These examples are not expressions of hope because they are not relational.  Being presumptuous means we say we don’t need God.

• Despair: “I don’t have God.” “God is not there.”  “God doesn’t want me.”  Despair means I don’t entrust myself to God because I don’t believe He will journey with me through life.

Let us make an act of hope:

O Lord our God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises, we hope to obtain the forgiveness of our sins, the help of Your Grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

David J. Conrad

When I was a child, I remember my parents saying to me that nothing worth having ever comes easy. To acquire something of great value one must work hard, sacrifice, and (usually) surrender something else of value. I think back on the years of my musical preparation: it was a financial cost to the family, I spent hours at the keyboard rather than playing with friends, and I didn’t have time to do other things I might have liked to do because of musical obligations. What did I gain by this commitment?

​I used to think my life would be shaped by music and its business. But I find that music is only the vehicle in which I may serve God; His gifts given to me, and my hard work in developing and employing them for His Kingdom. Hopefully, I am earning my place at the table—not because of the music—but because my spiritual and Communal life are truly shaped by the Gospels. I find this harder sometimes than practicing music for several hours a day. I know that I am a practicing Christian, a practicing Catholic. Again: nothing worth having ever comes easy…

Today in the Gospel (for this Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time), we have come to the end of the “Bread of Life Discourse.” Many of Jesus’ disciples were deciding that what Jesus had told them is just too difficult to accept, and “as a result of this, many disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Jesus.” How disappointing to hear this typical human story of turning away and of giving up because it is difficult—if it were easy, though, everyone would do it…and all may have remained if they tried. (Something I tell my piano students in order to encourage them to continue practicing that if it were easy to play, everyone would be a pianist.)

Today Jesus reminds us that His words are spirit and life. We know that He is the key to salvation: He is the bread of life. He requires peace, mercy, justice and forgiveness in all our relationships. Not easy to do and to fulfill, but He is wisdom incarnate! May we all respond as Peter responds to Jesus: “You have the words of eternal life...you are the Holy One of God."

It seems to me that having this faith is worth all the hard work, the practice, the sacrifice and the surrender—but remember you will not do this all alone—you have the Holy Spirit within you, and you have the Word to guide you. When things become difficult because your faith challenges you to do the right thing—the hard thing, rather than take the easy way—just remember: Nothing worth having ever comes easy—just follow His Word and you will be fine.

Keep singing!

Elizabeth Dyc

Just a Note: Here are some ways and in circumstances in which to use the Word—to use the Bible:

• When in sorrow: John 14
• When people fail you: Psalm 27
• When you have sinned: Psalm 51
• When you are worried: Matthew 6:19-34
• When in danger: Psalm 91
• When you are sad: Psalm 34
• When God seems far away: Psalm 139
• When you are discouraged: Isaiah 40
• When lonely or fearful: Psalm 23
• When you feel down and out: Romans 8:37-39
• When you seek courage for a task: Joshua 1
• When the world seems bigger than God: Psalm 90
• When you want rest and peace: Matthew 11:25-30
• When leaving home for travel or work: Psalm 121, 107::23-31
• When bitter or critical: 1st Corinthians 13
• When considering investments and returns: Mark 10:17-31
• When receiving a great invitation or opportunity: Isaiah 55

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