A big part of growing up is having to be brave. Maybe you’re leaving your private Catholic school that you’ve been at for the past 9 years. You have to go to a public high school where you barely know anyone, and you don’t know where you’re going to sit at lunch. What if you get lost in the hallways? Maybe you’re playing an instrument and performing a piece for a lot of people. Or it’s a sports game and you’re playing against a really good team. These are things you have to be brave about. In these instances, you have to put yourself out there and be confident. Still, that can be hard sometimes. One thing I have been noticing lately is that faith can take courage and bravery as well.
Growing up in a Catholic family where you go to Church every Sunday, you’ve received Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist, and your parents have taught you many things about God that have given you a head start in faith. You don’t have to think about it, you believe in God because that’s what you were taught. However, as you grow up you start thinking more and having deeper questions. Then you have a very big decision to make: will I be Confirmed and be tied to the Catholic faith forever? Many people think that this act is just another responsibility and it’s not that important. Or people just do it because their family wants it. Confirmation is so much more than that. It is the act of initiating yourself fully into the Church and accepting faith as your destiny. Being Confirmed can help strengthen our fortitude and faith as we are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and become soldiers of Christ. The Holy Spirit fills us with courage as it did with the Apostles on Pentecost, and we are sent into the world to spread God’s Word.
Looking up at the Eucharist during Mass and believing that it is truly the Body of Christ takes bravery. Standing up for your faith takes bravery. Walking around with ashes on your forehead in public takes bravery. Believing in God even when your peers don’t takes bravery. But if you have faith in God, being brave is easier. We know that God has a plan for us and he loves us, even when we mess up or get scared. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” God has everything happen for a reason, while we still have freedom. This is called divine providence. Knowing that God is there for us and has confidence we can persevere can help us not to be scared. If the people around you judge you for being Christian, you can know that it is just a challenge you can overcome to strengthen your faith. Satan, other people, and society can all challenge your faith. But if we stay strong in our beliefs, we will be with God forever and find eternal happiness. In this life, we want to be a good person and spread the love of God. However, there will always be some who won’t like you for that. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” When we trust in God, even if it’s hard, we will be rewarded in Heaven with Him.
All of these points emphasize the importance of being strong in our faith, even when it’s difficult. We need courage, or fortitude, to help us become saints and put our full trust in God’s will. Even when the challenges we face are small, God can always help us through if we put our trust in Him. In the end, to really be with Him we have to give up and let go of everything. So, in conclusion, bravery is essential to our relationship with God and vice versa.
-by Lydia Houchens, 8th Grader, St. Joseph School
