Serene Courage

Today I was watching a little of the USCCB meeting on EWTN. Bishop Lori used the term "serene courage". I came in to what he was saying mid-sentence so I'm not 100% sure the context in which he was using the term, but it seemed that he was saying we should pray for "serene courage", as opposed to the courage that the world seeks out - more of a violent or aggressive courage.

In today's world we do need serene courage. Especially in the USA, or should I say the soon - to - be USSA (United Socialist States of America)?  Our church will be dealing with lots of things coming against us and serene courage is what we need.

So I asked myself...."How do we get this serene courage?". It is not something we buy in the store or something we learn about by watching "The View" or the NBC Evening News w/ Brian Williams.  This type of courage comes only via prayer. This is what I think anyway.

It is interesting that I should hear this phrase "serene courage" today because just last night I was praying and felt like the Holy Spirit was preparing to strengthen me for the future. It was a strong sense that I received during prayer.  I sure could use more strength because I am quite weak so it was neat to hear the "serene courage" term, as if it is some sort of confirmation for me.

I don't know about you, but I am in need of some strong leadership by our priests and bishops. I would like them to tell the laity exactly what it is we need to do in order to help get our country back to the straight and narrow. They will probably say "prayer". That is cool.  However, I think we all need motivation, inspiration, and I think we need to be challenged and not told that this is our time to just pray, but we also need to act. We need to act with this serene courage within.....a serene courage that turns into a serene confidence in Jesus.

I would like to see our priests and bishops giving really strong, passionate, homilies. They need to "enliven the troops" - which is us. As in Cardinal Dolan's talk to the bishops today, we need to be challenged to get back into the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Why do I say challenged and use terms like motivation and inspiration? That is because the laity are like the frog in the pot of warm water that is getting hotter and we don't notice it.  We are slowly being boiled alive and our country and our souls are being robbed and for the most part, people don't notice that this is happening to them.

I think our priests and bishops need to connect with those of us laity who are "fired up" for Jesus and who are already motiviated and inspired to do more.  WE JUST NEED THE CHANCE.  We are all in this together and we will only hold on to our country and our religious freedom if we stay together - clergy and laity together.

As a lay person, I feel that I can do a lot more for the church - my local church, diocesan church, and wider church, but have few, if any, opportunities except to write to the politians.  I mean, is there anything organized we can do as a church?  I'm not talking about the day to day Catholic things - the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. I am involved in those in various ways, but I want to make a difference on a much bigger scale.  I am motivated, I'm on the way to having that "serene courage", and I'm willing to go to the front lines if necessary to defend our religious freedom. There are other people who feel this way too, but we are not asked to help.

Maybe one day, the Holy Spirit, will not wait for the priests and bishops to personally ask us. Maybe He, Himself, in all his power and glory, will come to us individually and give us direction. Either way - whether it is the bishops/priests or the Holy Spirit Himself, I'm as ready as I can be.

I'm just waiting....... waiting........waiting........warming the pew, praying, and waiting.