In the Epistle reading today, the Holy Apostle Paul speaks concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which each of us received for the first time in the Mystery of Baptism. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit infused into us certain virtues that orient us towards the Kingdom of Heaven and help us to deal with concrete circumstances here in this world, so that we can serve God with love and avoid sin. One of the many benefits of this first outpouring of God's Spirit on us is courage, the virtue of fortitude that dwells within us to govern the passion of anger.
O Lord God, One in the Holy Trinity, you have anointed us with a first outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts, just as surely as You anointed the Holy Apostles with the same Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Help us with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to always act according to the truth of faith and never waver from doing what is right on account of a lack of courage.
It takes great courage to believe in the salvation wrought in Christ in the circumstances of today's world. There are so many forces that are arrayed against us in professing that faith. Guard us against all these forces both human and spiritual during this day and every day. Give us the simple courage to show forth the truth that we are motivated by our relationship with You, Who are One God and One Lord in Three Divine Persons. Give us the courage to trace the sign of the Life-Giving Cross on ourselves at all times, even in public places. Give us the courage to be known as people of prayer, who believe in Your Providence and Your love for mankind.
Give us the courage to act with charity towards others, being willing to reprove evil with meekness and humility, no matter how near those others may be to us. Grant us the grace to forbear with patience if we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, even by those who are close family members and friends.
Because of this first outpouring of God's Holy Spirit into our hearts, we have become temples of that same Spirit. Thus, as Saint Paul tells us in another place, we are constantly protected, because the Almighty owner of the house protects the house in which He dwells. As we read in the Psalms: "God is within. It (that is, the temple) will not be shaken. God will help it at the dawning of the day." What "day" is here being spoken of? According to the interpretation of the Holy Fathers, this enigmatic expression refers to the Eighth Day, the Day of the New Creation, which is the Heavenly Kingdom itself. In other words, God will sustain us all the way to His Kingdom. If we are faithful to Him, He "will guard us and protect us from this generation and forever," as the prokimen of the Fifth Tone tells us. What we have is an assurance of something better than bodily protection and preservation. It is God's assurance that He will guard and protect us by granting to us the same eternal inheritance that Christ the Lord received in His Resurrection from the dead.
In order to be faithful, we must act with courage, because of all the enemies that are arrayed against us on every side in the world. Be strong, take courage, hope in the Lord!
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