f I were to ask each of you to tell us a story about courage, what story would you tell? Of course, we could simply point to the news headlines – stories of courageous acts abound in our world. But what about in our own lives? Now, it might be difficult for us to even recognize all the ways in which we act with courage – all the times we are able to take risks and face challenges – big or small. But perhaps there is an extraordinary time that stands out for you when courage enabled you to speak or act. Or maybe you would tell us about your daily acts of courage – living out your Christian values in school of the workplace, being there for your family and friends, treating all people with respect (even if you don’t like them), building right and just relationships in society. 

Do you have your story in mind? What was or what is asked of you? What feelings are triggered when you find yourself drawing upon those inner resources of courage? Perhaps you – like me – are often surprised by how much courage we actually have. 

Courage does surprise. After all, it is a gift – and when we tap into our God-given gifts, we flourish in unexpected ways. Look even at our ancestors in faith – in particular to those we meet as our story of salvation unfolds during the liturgies of Lent and the Triduum.

Take Abraham – whom God called to leave his homeland of Ur where in his old age he was probably living a complacent life; yet he suddenly hears from a God he doesn’t even know, to whom he doesn’t pray – and this God asks him to pull up his tent, go to a country not even named where Abraham will be a stranger and where he and his elderly childless wife are promised more descendents than the stars in the sky. If Abraham was skeptical, can we blame him? But before he knew it, the gift of courage prompted him to pack his camels and go. 

And then there’s Moses. I think his first act of courage was to check out the burning bush! What surprised him more than the fact that the bush was not consumed by the flames was the voice of God who greeted him and asked him to act on God’s behalf by freeing the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt. Before Moses tapped into his gift of courage, he tried more than once to wiggle his way out of this assignment. But God doesn’t give up on us human beings easily. With a little help from his brother Aaron, Moses boldly goes to Egypt. 

We have the Old Testament prophets – all of whom acted with surprising courage in reading the signs of the times and exhorting the people of Israel to be faithful to the covenant relationship. The prophets made bold proclamations about the servant of God who was to come. For example, Isaiah declared that God’s servant the Messiah – will “startle many nations” and “render kings speechless.” I imagine that the powerful elite were none too pleased to hear this! Being a prophet was – and still is – risky business. 

Perhaps that is why there was a job vacancy for 400 years – until the time of John the Baptist. Talk about courage! Here was a “nobody” from the social fringe imploring people to repent for the justice of God was at hand. I wonder whether John’s time in the desert enabled him to discover and then act upon his gift of courage.

And of course there was Mary and Joseph, a couple from the anawim, the Lord’s poor, the socially insignificant, who made an independent courageous decision and stood by it for a lifetime.

Courage not only surprises us, but have you ever noticed how courage begets courage – how one courageous act becomes the catalyst for more courageous acts? Of course, our best model is Jesus Christ. Jesus showed free people from the bondage of sin and show them how to live in right relationship with God. Jesus showed great courage at every turn in carrying out his mission to free people from bondage of sin and show them how to live in right relationship with God. Jesus’ courage in the face of opposition and ridicule empowered others to act with courage.

Those Jewish fishermen, for example, who abandoned their nets and took a vocational leap of faith.

A tax collector named Levi who gave up a lucrative business all for a new name and job that didn’t pay. 

The Galilean women – Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna – who not only followed Jesus and his rather curious band of disciples but who also provided for them out of their own resources.

The woman from Samaria – a social outcast – who was so emboldened by Jesus’ courage in speaking with her, in being present to her, that she announced to the townspeople that they should come meet the man she believed to be the Messiah. 

The man born blind who, because of Jesus’ courage in touching him, had the courage to wash the clay from this eyes and proclaim to the religious leaders his faith in the one who healed him.

Lazarus – Jesus prays before courageously calling Lazarus to come out of his grave. Empowered by Jesus’ courage, Lazarus comes forth.

We could spend much time exploring the gospels to find instances of Jesus’ own courage empowering those whom he encountered to also act with courage, but let’s reflect on Jesus’ ultimate display of courage – the cross. 

Importantly, before his surrender to the cross, Jesus surrenders in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. According to the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke), Jesus seems to wrestle with his own inner reserves. In his humanness, he needed to pray for courage: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”

Through his prayer and his complete trust in his Abba that there would be more than the cross, he courageously faced the abuse and brutal death at the hands of the powerful but threatened elite. Consequently, the cross of Good Friday is a powerful Christian symbol of courage.

What does this mean for us? The courage Jesus acted with in his earthly life continues to be a catalyst for our own ability to act with courage. At times, we may resist saying “yes” to the gift of courage – we know when we sense that that gift is about to “kick in,” there is something on the horizon that might require more of ourselves than we think we are capable of. Like Jesus, we might have to retreat at times to a garden of Gethsemane and pray for courage. But we must have confidence in the Spirit of Christ who dwells within each of us and empowers us to be people of courage. Take time today to consider how you are being called to be a person of courage right now. Who needs you to act with courage? What situation calls for you to bravely step outside of yourself and take a risk? In what ways can your own courage be a catalyst for others to discover their gift of courage?

By Anne Y. Koester, Associate Director, Georgetown Center for Liturgy