Fortified and Fortitude

Specific Objectives

At the end of the session, the assembly the participants are expected to:

1. Understand that we are fortified by God in our victories and defeats

2. Appreciate fortitude as a gift of the Holy Spirit which can help to withstand hardships

3. Make a stand and endure in accomplishing good in the different and difficult situations as inspired by the models of fortitude

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

We have been tested through time and strengthened through all the stages we’ve been through for the past 40 Years of MFC. Amidst all that we faced, both victories and defeats, we stood strong in faith and in our love for the Lord. On our 40th year, we celebrate as one community for we have been fortified in faith. Our faith in the Lord has grown deeper and it has been made strong through the years – strong enough to protect us, secure our families and equip our community as we further our mission to the ends of the earth, until the end of time. In this Chapter assembly, let’s talk about what it means to be fortified and the importance of fortitude in our lives.

II. Fortified

The meaning of fortified is made stronger or more secure. This is to strengthen in order to protect and defend, it also means being improved or enhanced. In tagalog: “Pinalakas o pinagtibay”

1. Fortified through Sufferings

These painful moments and hardships strengthens and fortifies us to be better Christians. Pain if handled with grace becomes purpose and purpose if handled with grace leads to passion. Remember that Jesus suffered before us. We have to look at Jesus as the greatest example of what it means to suffer in holiness. Because of this, we are victorious in our lives regardless of the outcome of a challenge we are facing. How did God fortified you through your Sufferings?

2. Fortified through Victories

These victories in the past and present strengthen and fortify us in moving forward. These gives us confidence in God by remembering his divine goodness and faithfulness. We gain a winning mindset knowing that God is with us and is fighting for us, we are not alone in our life battles. We were fortified by believing that Jesus has already claimed victory in our lives. How did God fortified you through your Victories?

III. Fortitude

Fortitude is one the Cardinal Virtues and a Gift of the Holy Spirit according to the book of Isaiah. Fortitude is commonly called courage but it is different from what we think of courage today. It is our ability to endure, not just hardship, but the sense of being secure of one's actions being long lasting, and not momentary, trivial or short lasting. If one has fortitude, one is not necessarily the strongest person. The natural virtue of fortitude makes people willing to be persistent over a period of time in facing setbacks, failures, and misunderstandings, in order to accomplish a goal that they have set for themselves. The ultimate goal of a natural virtue is a good, decent life in this world. We need fortitude specially in this time of crisis.

Fortitude ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. (CCC 1837)

Here are two ways on how we can exercise firmness in doing good and in living a life of fortitude

1. Fortitude enables us to stand and fight

Our faith is not of a pure passive faith. Fortitude demands that we be ready to act and to stand up for what we know is right. There is a direct attack to what evil is attempting to hinder in the promotion of goodness and we must learn how to stand up for it. Holy anger is frequently neglected since many make the mistake of identifying anger as a negative emotion. We forget that there can be holy anger, an outrage which rises up against evil. It is normal for us to get fed up with evil spreading around us and being upset will never do anything to change it. Even Jesus displayed this in various occasions. He encountered evil, grew angry, and directed His anger to attack what was evil (see Jn. 2:13-17). We too must respond this way to evil around us specially on issues on faith, family and life. Fortitude demands that we be ready to act and to stand up for what we know is right.

2. Fortitude enables us to be patient and endure

There are situations when the only possible option is to suffer patiently and endure the trials that affect us. In these times, directly attacking the evil is ineffective; what is required is a persistent pursuit of the good in patience. Patience is the supreme test of fortitude. Patience enables us to hold our ground and persevere through any oppressing hardship. Ask yourself what hardships in your life are you facing that just won’t go away? In this difficulty lies the opportunity to prove ourselves brave. Will you continue to do good or give in to what the difficulty offers you? If we are firm with our faith and conviction, we need to endure because we know that at the end of this journey, the Lord is with us and will not do anything to harm us. Patience is not something that belongs to sad, weak people, but rather to the strong and joyful. What motivates patience, like what motivates all the virtues, is the desire for the good that we want to obtain.

IV. Model of Fortitude: The Holy Family (Jesus, Joseph, and Mary)

Jesus was raised, knowing the great courage of Mary’s fiat and Joseph’s chaste heroism and their total commitment to serve God in the face of persecution. The parents of Jesus are truly models of fortitude. From the day the angel announced to Mary her future of bearing Jesus, to the day an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to affirm him of God’s plan and to the day they traveled and gave birth to Jesus, they displayed fortitude. They faced and overcame sufferings and ridicule and showed humility because of their love for God and the fulfillment of what is good – God’s plan for their family. May we look at their family whenever we feel tired of obeying God so we too may end up like them—witnesses of God’s great plan. The greatest model of fortitude is Jesus. He didn’t have to face and undergo all the persecutions, humiliations, doubts, and sufferings but He did. This is all because of His obedience to the Father and His love for all of us. His life was not easy and uncomfortable but He was able to overcome it because of the good, for the good. More than looking at Him as our model, may He we also ask for His help in times of challenging situations so that we too may glorify the Father in fortitude.

V. Conclusion

We have been fortified through the years as Filipino Catholics celebrating 500 years of Christianity and as MFC celebrating our 40 years. The call and challenge is to possess fortitude to the extent that we willingly give our lives for the mission. Although we probably won't be literally killed for our faith, still we must be prepared to make all kinds of great sacrifices in living out our Catholic identity specially in this time of crisis. We must not think that the gift of fortitude is only necessary on some occasions or in certain situations. This gift must be the base note of our being Christians, in our ordinary everyday lives. We are fortified and may we live out the gift of Fortitude.