The mystery of courage

[IrishAm]

I understand courage. I was raised in a family where strength and courage were valued, where courage was considered strong love, and where it was a great life if you didn’t weaken. In my life, I have been proud of the times I could walk through trials and tribulations with my head up.

Today, after praying the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary, I had some extra time and prayed the Luminous decade. And it made me think.

The fruit of the mystery of the sorrowful mystery on the crowning of thorns is courage. The fruit of the mystery of the luminous mystery on the transfiguration is spiritual courage. (At least in the guide I use . . . )

I understand courage. I’m not sure I understand spiritual courage.

I understand how enduring the crowning with thorns represents courage. I’m not sure I understand what the transfiguration has to do with spiritual courage.

What think ye?

 

[water]

See verse: Luke 9:35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.

As we listen to and follow Jesus, we surely needs “spiritual” courage in order to be humble, to be humility, to follow God’s will, to trust in Jesus, to enjoy carrying crosses, to not be afraid of those who can kill our flesh but not our souls, etc …

 

[Pani_Rose]

Also, the courage comes through the grace and mercy, not necessarily on our own. I find I do everything much better when the grace of God is present to do so, than when I am trying to do it on my on. Looking at the cycle of the Trinity, the Father intiates through the Son - the Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit. In that Love of the Father for the Son and the Holy Spirit, we become part of that cycle. So that when they are operating within - it is not us, but the grace of God and our co-operation with him - because of free will, that we have spiritual courage.

 

[Pug]

John Paul II (quoted below in ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE) suggests to me that the Transfiguration is like our inspiration or like our courage as we go on to pick up our cross and have the fortitude to follow Christ as we ought in this life.

The mystery of light* par excellence* is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to “listen to him” (cf. *Lk *9:35 and parallels) and to prepare to experience with him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit.

Also, something reminds me of this passage by St. Paul about how his thoughts of going to Christ (resurrection) inspire him to press onward.

8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Spiritual courage is like if you have to be martyred for the faith. It takes spiritual courage to hold fast to the faith in those circumstances. Also, I think it is like if your friends are egging you on to do something wrong, and you know if you refuse, you will lose their friendship. Using the gift of courage, you refuse, and the fear of loss doesn’t overcome you and make you fall into sin. It can help in a situation like that to remember Christ and your goals, to unite ourself to him in his death so that we can be resurrected like him.

 

[St_Gabriel]

I understand courage. I’m not sure I understand spiritual courage.

I understand how enduring the crowning with thorns represents courage. I’m not sure I understand what the transfiguration has to do with spiritual courage.

What think ye?

When the apostles (Peter, James and John) witnessed the transfiguration they experienced fear. We need to spiritual courage to face the Lord.

See Luke Chapter 9

9:33 And it came to pass that, as they were departing from him, Peter saith to Jesus: Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses; and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. 9:34. And as he spoke these things, there came a cloud and overshadowed them. **And they were afraid when they entered into the cloud. **9:35. And a voice came out of the cloud; saying: This is my beloved son. Hear him.