Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time (June 6, 2017): The Holy Spirit's gift of courage

Have you ever been tripped or trapped by a challenging question? How did you feel? How do you think Jesus felt when it happened to him? Assuredly, he took it much more calmly than you or I do. Why is that?

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus responds to a trap laid by Pharisees and Herodians. His confidence comes from knowing that the Holy Spirit always provides the right words and the perfect wisdom.

You and I have been given the same Spirit.

What do you need from the Holy Spirit so that you can serve God’s kingdom courageously? Whatever it is, God’s Spirit is reliable and will make everything available to you exactly when you need it. If you don’t seem to have it now, it’s because you don’t need it yet.

Courage comes from trust. Although it might feel like you don’t have what it takes to stand up to trouble and become victorious, that’s only because you’re moving beyond your comfort zone. If the situation were in your comfort zone, you wouldn’t need courage. Trusting God means taking bold, scary steps into the unfamiliar.

One year on Pentecost, I asked for the Holy Spirit’s boldness to speak up against injustices that I sometimes witness within our beloved Church. Normally, if speaking up is politically incorrect, if it’s socially unacceptable, if it strays from the expectations of what “should” happen in church, if it’s outside the comfort zone of the rules of “normalcy”, or if it could result in a reprimand or disapproval, my heart would race, my knees would tremble, and I would keep my mouth shut.

God readily gives us opportunities for doing what we hope to learn. Shortly after asking for boldness, I found myself facing the need to ask a priest to delay Mass. An accident on the street was keeping many people from reaching church on time. I made the decision to let my concern for these people outweigh my fears.

This might not seem like a big deal to some of my readers, but for many Americans, starting Mass on time and ending on time (or ending early) is a big deal. And for many Catholic Americans, disagreeing with a priest is an even bigger deal.

The priest replied that Mass must always start on time. To my surprise, I looked him in the eye and, with my voice full of compassion, said: “For the sake of the people who want to be here on time but cannot, please wait just a few minutes!” The priest’s reply? “Okay.”

That happened a long time ago. Since then, I have experienced that same Spirit-filled confidence every time God wants me to stand up to injustices, which always involves stepping away from what’s normal and expected and socially “proper”. However, to receive this gift from the Holy Spirit, I have to be willing to feel uncomfortable.

What’s the gift you’re asking for? He’s ready to provide it! Now ask the Holy Spirit to show you what comfort zone you must step away from so that you can experience this gift.

Today’s Prayer: