Can you remember the last time you needed courage to either do or not do something? It might take some thinking or it could come to right away…because you just faced it.
I thought about this question in light of our two young heroes…David from the first reading and St. Agnes, virgin and martyr who despite their young ages overcame natural fear through their faith in God.
In today’s gospel, Jesus, also displays the courage of his convictions when he teaches and heals the man with a withered hand. Jesus doesn’t let the Pharisees who were the key religious watchdogs enforcing Sabbath observance and who wielded significant popular influence deter Him from doing the will of His Father.
Jesus faces many episodes like this one of powerful religious and secular figures opposing his teaching and actions and gives us the model for speaking and acting even when we are opposed.
Today we hear of one of David’s finest moments where he slew the much larger, experienced, and heavily armed Philistine. But it’s what leads up to this scene that is the essence of what we need…to face our fears.
David has to convince Saul to let him face the Philistine. Saul, being older and more experienced sees David as over-zealous and naïve. But David reminds him “The Lord, who delivered me from the claws of the lion…and bear will also keep me safe…”
David’s faith experiences--convince Saul and strengthen his faith when he says, “Go! The Lord will be with you.”
I believe this is a good lesson for parents and kids, for grandparents and grandchildren to teach and learn; that we all experience challenges in life and some can cause us to be fearful perhaps indecisive…yet we are meant to stand up and to face them.
It’s natural for parents and grandparents, even older brothers and sisters to give a pep talk about having courage, but where does the greatest courage come from?
It’s when we believe that God is with us, when we most need Him to do what is right. On a human level when we were kids we felt a lot more courageous when we had an imposing buddy or two walking with us into a tough situation. But as we know sometimes other people have large friends too. So where does this leave us?
Neither David nor Saul knew ahead of time the outcome of David’s battle with the Philistine, just like we have no way of predicting what will happen when our loved ones or we face our fears.
Yet, David and St. Agnes, both young people found the courage to do what was right because they believed that it lined up with God’s will and that God would be with them…and so, both were willing to risk their lives….
St. Agnes, whose name means “lamb” in Latin is often depicted with a lamb as she trusted in Jesus, and like Jesus offered her life and showed the ultimate faith in God by dying for the faith.
Thank God, most of us at worst, will be white martyrs, people who are willing to face the possibility of exclusion from public or private office or work, or from social circles or economic benefits due to standing up for our faith.
Whether it is a matter of standing up for life from conception to natural death, freedom of religion or any of the Gospel values that Jesus teaches, the best way we can prepare is to unite ourselves to Jesus, to pray for the grace of wisdom, prudence, and courage to know how we are to face the challenges in life…the tough moments, when we are afraid or uncertain, so that when these times come, we will have the confidence and faith of David and St. Agnes and be able to say, the Lord who has delivered me many times from danger--will be with me no matter what happens next.
St. David and St. Agnes…pray for us!