Lesson 9 – The ’s Gift of Fortitude

Questions: 1. What is the Gift of Fortitude? 2. How does the Gift of Fortitude differ from the Cardinal virtue? 3. What obstacles block us from receiving the Gift of Fortitude? 4. What six personal traits does the Gift of Fortitude enable us to do? 5. How can we be martyrs for Christ?

Fortitude, Gift of the Spirit

The gift of fortitude brings to those who have it a dauntless spirit of resolution, firmness of mind, and indomitable will to persevere with a quiet faith in God’s providence that overcomes all obstacles. It also brings courage to persist in the practice of virtue despite trials, illness, persecution or external failure. A Catholic who becomes fervent in God’s service will soon be condemned by the world, but the gift of fortitude will sustain him as he walks toward the Cross.

• Fortitude (Courage): With the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or even physical harm and death. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil, especially with regard to goods or evils that are difficult, just like Joan of Arc did.

This gift brings the virtue of fortitude to perfection, charging it with energy, perseverance and promptness. Moreover, it brings a confidence of success to the virtue. For example, St. Maximilian Kolbe not only had great fortitude to offer promptly his life in exchange for another and to endure a horrible death, but also had the confidence of success that he would overcome the powers of evil and gain everlasting life.

It is in martyrdom that we see the best example of fortitude rising above a mere cardinal virtue (which is able to be practiced by anyone) into a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit . Fortitude, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, also allows us to with poverty and loss, and to cultivate the Christian virtues that allow us to rise above the basic requirements of Christianity. The saints, in their love for God and their fellow man and their determination to do what is right, exhibit fortitude as a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit, and not merely as a cardinal virtue.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Fortitude (Courage) Submitted by Fr. Robert McKeon on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 5:30pm.

The next gift of the Holy Spirit we look at is Fortitude which is commonly called courage, but it is different from what we think of as courage today. The person exercising the gift of fortitude is willing to put himself in danger, if necessary, but he does not seek danger for danger’s sake. Putting our bodies or lives in danger when it is not necessary is not fortitude, but foolishness. Sometimes, however, the ultimate sacrifice is necessary, in order to stand up for what is right and to save our souls. Fortitude is the virtue of the martyrs, who are willing to give their lives rather than to renounce their faith. That sacrifice may be passive (true Christian martyrs do not actively seek martyrdom) but it is nonetheless determined, resolute and conscious.

It is in martyrdom that we see the best example of fortitude rising above a mere cardinal virtue into a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit. But it also shows itself, as the Catholic Encyclopedia notes , “in moral courage against the evil spirit of the times, against improper fashions, against human respect, against the common tendency to seek at least the comfortable, if not the voluptuous.”

With the Gift of Fortitude, a person is able “to overcome difficulties or to endure pain and suffering with the strength and power infused by God.” As with the other gifts, fortitude operates under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, and gives strength to the person to resist evil and persevere to everlasting life. This gift brings the virtue of fortitude to perfection and enables the individual to live the other virtues heroically, to suffer with patience and joy, to overcome all luke-warmness in the service of God. Fortitude, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, also allows us to cope with poverty and loss, and to cultivate the Christian virtues that allow us to rise above the basic requirements of Christianity. (Fr. William Saunders, Gifts of the Holy Spirit ).

Gift of Fortitude by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

The Gift of Fortitude implies that doing the will of God is not easy. We need help from the God who tells us what His will is: to do His will. Fortitude implies that there are obstacles to doing God’s will. I’ll list six obstacles.

First, the obstacle is the very nature of things. Any things that we have to do are simply not easy. One reason is God made some things light - like this clock…is very light…it is easy to pick it up. Other objects God made hard even to lift. Everything in this world is a symbol, an analogy, a basis of comparison, to understand the mysteries of our faith. We would know nothing, nothing about the mysteries of the faith, we could not begin to understand them, unless we saw how the mysteries of the faith are symbolized, signified, compared, with the things in this world. For example, there is such a thing in this world as life. What is the mystery of our faith that the spiritual life that God gives to those who are in His friendship. That in fact, is what life is. God provides life in this world both physical and spiritual, the natural order to help us understand the mysteries of faith. Unless we have things in nature with which we could compare the mysteries of faith, we would know zero.

There are obstacles to doing God’s Will. No. 1, some things are just naturally harder to do. Like lifting up a table compared to lifting up a watch. Why did God make some things heavier than others? To teach us something about the mysteries of the faith.

Secondly, the difficulties that we have in doing God’s will arise from our fallen human nature. We just are not inclined to do what is God’s will. We want to do what we want. God’s will may not be very hard to do, but you’re not telling me what to do!

Thirdly, the difficulties arise from the world in which we live. The world makes it hard for us to practice the virtues that Christ prescribed. That’s why some people, otherwise known as religious, leave the world and they join a community, so they won’t be subjected to the pressures of the world. The world makes doing God’s will difficult, very difficult. It tries to make it impossible. Number 4, The Devil makes doing God’s will difficult . He knows us. As I’ve said over the years to so many people, the more sincerely you want to serve God, the more the devil will tempt you, especially through discouragement, worry, anxiety.

Number 5, God’s plan for us can make doing God’s will difficult . God has His own plan. He may not have ours. God planned that I would become a religious, and go on for the Priesthood. You can’t imagine the obstacles that He put in the way.

Number 6, God designs what He wants done. God has His own ideas, and let me tell you, doing God’s will...first of all, we need the Gift of Counsel to know just how we’re suppose to cope. When I entered the Society of Jesus, did I expect what I have since found? So many of my own fellow Jesuits at Georgetown University in Washington, 95 Jesuits! Many times, I was the only Priest in clerical garb. Everybody else, in shirt sleeves, in shorts, you name it! We usually have a world full of silence. Gone! We have to have hours for rising. Gone! Rule after rule after rule. Gone! You’re talking about Fortitude. First of all, that’s why, these first four gifts come first. Our minds must be clear. Once our minds are clear on what is God’s will, then we need fortitude. In other words, no matter what anybody else is doing, we know what God wants us to do, and we do it!

The Gift of Fortitude is a supernatural, inclination which enables the will to do great things for God with joy, without fear, and in spite of all obstacles. We all need this Gift of Fortitude.

The devil is very angry with the Missionaries of Charity. More than you think. You will need even more Fortitude in the years to come. This gift enables us to put into action, that is, to practice, even enjoy doing what we would naturally not do, and want to do, because it is either unpleasant, or painful or trying. And even be repugnant. And to be obedient, sisters, but and this is what I keep telling you sisters not just you here, but when ever I speak to the Missionaries of Charity. God has blessed your community phenomenally. Keep praying for this blessing from God, that your superiors are obedient to the Vicar of Christ. More over, this Gift of Fortitude enables us to do six things. It enables us to suffer, to accept, to put up with, to not avoid, to not run away from, nor to shun what is contrary to our faith. In the United States, of the 362 communities of women, 150 of these communities will disappear. No way of surviving. And this is where you Missionaries of Charity have been phenomenally blessed and not allow yourselves to be misguided or mislead by those who call themselves religious, but are not living a religious life. This will take Fortitude, and not just among you Sister’s as individuals, but, among the Sisters’ as a community. Because the gift sisters, has been given to individuals and to the church at large; to communities.

The Gift of Fortitude is a superhuman gift. It is not only a gift of resignation, not only the gift of patience, or endurance, or courage. It is the practical desire to love God as He has chosen to love us. We too, with Him, choose, prefer, select, and elect what naturally speaking is not to our liking. I cannot exaggerate the importance of this gift of Fortitude. In other words, the Gift of Fortitude is the gift that is necessary for us to live faithful to our vowed commitments. It is absolutely necessary. Our Christian faith places burdens on us that are not just beyond human nature, but that are beyond our duty to follow. Living a consecrated life means doing more than we’re obliged to do under pain of sin. The Gift of Fortitude is therefore, the gift of martyrdom. It testifies to the truth of Christ.

That’s how our Lord lived His life. He proclaimed the truth. He was opposed, persecuted and finally crucified. Our age is the age of martyrs. And remember, a martyr by definition testifies to Christ, and pays for it. There’s no martyrdom without suffering. In fact, martyrdom without suffering is a contradiction.

Everything we are saying about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is nonsense, its psychosis, unless we have faith. Christ, we know, was opposed, He was rejected, He was condemned, He was even crucified. We say the gifts go beyond the virtues. There is a virtue of Fortitude. How does the Gift of Fortitude differ from the virtue of Fortitude? The virtue of fortitude can already be a natural virtue. The Philosopher Aristotle, 300 years BC, spoke about the four virtues, including fortitude. Fortitude, as a virtue, is the power we have, not to fear future evils. WE define desire as the hope of some future good. We define fear as the dread of some future evil.

THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE

While walking the Earth, Jesus Christ exhibited the greatest display of fortitude. This allowed Him to endure the hardships during His 3 years of public ministry and, ultimately, His Passion. We are ALL called to follow Christ and, in order to do so, we must utilize this important gift to advance His Kingdom here on Earth. Without the gift of fortitude to help us, our human efforts will assuredly fall short of the goal at hand. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE REFERENCES

As God knows we have our own cross to carry in our personal lives, He also gives us the strength to carry it, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 : "Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. 6 No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it."

As noted, it is not by human strength that we have to do our spiritual battles. Therefore, we need to be reinforced in the strength of His power- putting on the Armor of God- so that we are adequately equipped to fight the good fight against the evil that comes against us:

Ephesians 6:10-19 "1 Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must."

Psalm 105:4 encourages us to always keep our eye on the prize, but especially during trials: "Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face."

With fortitude from On High, as written in Philippians 4:13 , we learn to endure and persevere through all our difficulties by leaning on our Redeemer for strength: "I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."