Courage

“Have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known...  everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:26).

Saint John the Baptist (Stephen Whatley)

It is no easy thing to speak the truth.

These days we are faced with consequences for speaking about things that society calls politically incorrect and that our faith often tells us are untruths…

Sometimes, with the challenges of social media and in the age of the internet, when nothing can be hidden and all of our views can be aired in real time and to millions of consumers, we can think that we have the most difficult job in speaking the truth, because the consequences for us speaking up are so big.  However, I was reflecting on Saint John the Baptist, and it occurred to me to think that in fact, the world has never been easier…

Saint John the Baptist told a king that he was not living in a wholesome manner with a woman.  In other words, he accused the man and the woman of committing a sin of impurity.  As a result of this speaking up, Saint John the Baptist was imprisoned and killed.  He was a young man.  He had followers.  He was doing God’s work.  He was – in fact – so holy that he was born (not conceived) without sin.  At the moment of the visitation (which we commemorate in the Second Joyful Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary), when the Blessed Virgin visited his mother, while Christ was in her womb and Saint Elizabeth said that the child within her womb left for joy, Saint John the Baptist was baptised and cleansed of sin and therefore was born without sin.

And even despite all of this – Saint John the Baptist died for speaking the truth…

“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus; and he said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him.’  For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; because John said to him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and pleased Herod,  so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.’ And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.” (Matthew 14:1-12).

Christ said, “have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known...  everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:26).

And I think of those words today as I consider the easiness of my life.  And it seems to me that I really just need to ask for the Gift of Courage from the Holy Spirit, so that I can acknowledge Him, who is the Lord of all the world…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.