Fortitude

Of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, FORTITUDE seems an appropriate gift on which to focus as we prepare for Pentecost and the conclusion of the Easter Season tomorrow.. Like other gifts and virtues, we don't really know if we possess them, or if they are really part of our being, until they are tested.  If everything comes easy for us, how can we say we have fortitude, a gift which, as it were, demands opposition, or just plain old boredom, through which we must plow ahead.  Fortitude gives us strength to persevere, and to do so with joy and confidence. Through it, we "stick to our guns" and remain trusting and faithful when it seems that we are standing alone. It gives us the confidence that no matter what, God will not abandon us, no matter how long we may have to endure the situation in which we find ourselves.  It is based on the assurance that God knows and loves us, and will never let us be tested beyond our strength. Needless to say a glimpse at the headlines or the state of our families and parishes, or our own spiritual journey, makes FORTITUDE a must.  Fear not, this gift is already in our hearts; we might just have to dust it off.
Bro. Rene