Courage: A Necessary Christian Characteristic

Courage, combined with the mysterious workings of grace, keeps us moving forward on the Christian road. Without it we would be stuck in the mud, or worse, move backward. Quiet courage is a serene motivator that guides us as we move through the vicissitudes of daily activities. Prompt courage is an immediate response to an unexpected terror as illustrated in the following story by Mark Giszczak in his book, Suffering, What Every Catholic Should Know.

“On the afternoon of May 7, 2019, two teenagers showed up at school armed to the teeth. They were intent on killing as many people as possible at the STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. When one of them stepped into a classroom and opened fire, something beautiful happened: a boy named Kendrick Castillo threw himself into the line of fire, tackling the gunman. Inspired by his valor, two other students joined in the fray and quickly subdued the attacker, averting a mass casualty event. The all too familiar school shooting story was stopped in its tracks. Tragedy was averted. But in the process, Kendrick was shot. He lost his life. However, it might be better to say he lost nothing. Indeed, he gave his life away freely for his friends. He saved the other students by putting himself in harm’s way. He sacrificed his life so that others could live. Yes, he suffered, but his suffering had a purpose, a meaning. His death meant life for others. I think Kendrick’s story will help us understand what Jesus was doing for us in his suffering and death.”

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:13). 

This is the highest call of courage.

A well known definition of courage is not the absence of fear, but to make the right choice in the presence of fear. Courage is tested in a variety of situations. We are afraid of an upcoming doctor’s appointment. A task we need to do makes us tremble. We have to counsel a good person who is doing bad things. Indeed, courage takes us out of our comfort zone. In lesser or greater degrees, the need for courage is usually every day. We see what is good and do something to make it happen. To see what is good and do nothing when we can do something is the choice of a shrinking violet. We are not scared spineless beings who routinely apologize, cower in weakness, see reality in a fanciful haze, or are weak willed. There is no safe refuge from problems. We work with them within the lights of faith and hope. Courage does not blindly overlook danger, but faces it and moves us to realistically do what we can to alleviate it by spiritual, intellectual, and moral guidelines.

Christian courage means to say and do the right thing regardless of temporal consequences, and to stand up for what we believe even if it is painful. Our faith is not only about what we believe, but about what we do with what we believe. Courage is essential in spreading and preserving the teachings of Jesus. He reminds us that living the Gospel will meet resistance: “Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.” (Matthew 24:9). Even in the Church, Paul warned that faithfulness to the truth would be a battle: “I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them.” (Acts 20:29-30) God promised to help us and redeem us through Christ. When defending Christianity takes courage, Joshua 1:9 tells us, “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua’s words strengthen us as we meet obstacles when we discuss Christianity with others. By verbalizing our beliefs we open ourselves to opinions, rumors, ideations, speculations, and emotional outbursts of others, as well as current spin or what is spectacular about a topic. We acknowledge what is said, but need not agree with or approve of it. We base our responses on facts, evidence, statistics and Church teachings. Church wisdom can provide appropriate caution and shrewdness when they are needed. If we are infuriated by responses, we take ‘time out’ to calm down before responding. There is no use throwing gasoline on an argument fire or having rational discussions with irrational people.

Standing up for what is good and right is difficult face to face, but more so on the internet. We run the risk of heavy opposition through emails, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms. They can come from relatives, friends, acquaintances and strangers. In these situations we use common sense, mind our manners, hold our temper and tongue, and trust in grace from the Holy Spirit. These are great assets in weakening the intensity of personal attacks.

Kind but Firm

Christian courage aids us in being vigilant regarding what we say. Words can be sweet like bee’s honey, but like the bees, they can sting. Words are powerful in their ability to help or hurt. Striving for realistic honey words is so necessary in today’s society because they dilute the culture of death which is gaining ground. This culture is evident by the increased number of hate spreading groups who are against various classifications of people. They incite riots, fuel misconceptions or spread misinformation. People are valued by their character, not by labels or stereotypes. Labels lead to attitudinal barriers that detract from seeing people as unique human beings. Whether positive or negative, labeling people is risky. It can lead to problematic mind sets, negative mental images, and inaccurate views, as well as over simplifying situations. Negative labels can do irreparable harm.

Today the power of evil words is evident in the rise of antisemitism. Media coverage shows Jewish people are often targets for hostility. Antisemitism means prejudice against or hatred of Jewish people. Antisemitic incidents are reported on social media and newscasts, but many go unreported. Abhorrence of the Jewish people can take many forms, including derogatory comments, violent attacks, and other atrocities. We must be diligent so the Holocaust, the most horrific event in human history, does not repeat itself. We must do something, as minor as it may be, to protect those whom Pope John Paul II called our elder brothers. The Jews were chosen by God to be his special people. Today, Jewish people, like all people, deserve our respect and love.

We must look beyond the current usage of words to be increasingly aware of how words are twisted so that bad sounds good and good sounds bad. The health care industry is known to use words that support the culture of death. Abortion means to end a pregnancy. On surgical reports, this is known as therapeutic abortion. Therapy means to heal or relieve a disorder. When is being pregnant a disorder? More precisely, an abortion is a brutal, painful death forced on a defenseless innocent life during a person’s fastest growth and most complex developmental stage.

On the surface, in vitro fertilization sounds positive. Let us take a closer look. In vitro fertilization begins when eggs are removed from a woman’s ovary and combined with sperm outside the body to form embryos in a glass laboratory dish. The embryos are grown in the laboratory for several days and then placed in a woman’s uterus, or frozen for future use. Newly conceived babies do not begin through the marital act. Their lives and unique identities are in the hands of doctors, biologists, laboratory techniques, scientific manipulation and other elements. Scientific technology takes the place of a God created origin and natural development of the human person. The IVF baby is more a manufactured product than a gift from God. IVF begins in an artificial environment, is risky, involves a complex series of procedures, and is extremely expensive. And there are so many precious babies in need of adoption.

Death with dignity, also known as euthanasia, is a wish to die. Euthanasia is actively taking the life of an individual. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. Therefore, euthanasia is not a choice. If people want to end their suffering, just let them think of the suffering they will cause family and dear ones by choosing to die. If people need more assistance with daily living tasks, they may say they want to die so they won’t be a burden. They do not realize they could be a channel of grace for others who help them by saying a kind word or giving a sincere compliment. On the other hand, a care giver may encourage the one who is dying to see beyond present limitations, and anticipate growth through their disease. We need to look beyond people’s wishes to die, as they may need to know they are still loved, still special, still valuable, or will not be abandoned. It may be a plea that they will be cared for even though they are not the same as they were before. People who verbalize a plea to die may not be able to verbalize a desire to live.

Physician assisted suicide is when a physician gives a patient a prescription for a lethal dose of medication that the patient intends to use to end his or her life. The physician assists the individual to commit suicide. Physician assisted suicide is on the same level as active killing. Misguided family members and health care providers who encourage assisted death show minimal respect for life. Their actions are contrary to the Hippocratic Oath and they tarnish the reputation of people in the medical profession. Physician assisted suicide is misguided because a physician’s vocation is to heal without harm, not provide a quick death.

Thanks be to God that there is more to living than the turmoil and confusion of today, this life and this world. The basic teachings of the Catholic Church, the repository of truth through the centuries, have withstood the test of time. The strength of our Catholic heritage gives us a firm identity. The Church is the leaven for justice and mercy in society. From this repository, we make decisions and practical judgments about the many facets of daily living. We sincerely believe and live what the Church teaches and strive to apply it, with certitude, moral knowledge, and wisdom, to subjective decisions, ethical proprieties and specific actions.