26
PEOPLE of GOD
june/july 2020
LIVING OUR FAITH FROM THE DEEP may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). It still is a challenge to be a Christian even today. While martyrdom is real, here in New Mexico it seems unlikely. Regardless, we are called to bear witness to our Faith, mindful of God in Christ, who is the source of our strength.
By Very Reverend Michael Demkovich, OP, Episcopal Vicar for Doctrine & Life
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or the early Church it was not easy to be a Christian even after Pentecost. The bold preaching of the disciples touched the hearts of many, but it was not easy. Persecutions were regional at first but about thirty years after the Crucifixion, Nero’s imperial attacks in Rome were gruesomely common. The early martyrs bore witness to a remarkable sense of faith in God’s mercy. As Saint Paul declared, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we
I find that the trials of 2020 have made me reflect upon the Christian meaning of courage. Today countless women and men have shown us self-sacrifice and genuine care for those in harm, not counting their own risks and cost. It makes me think that the virtue of courage or fortitude really shines forth amid adversity and struggle. These challenges are not sought, but when they come, courage stands in the midst of it. When it comes to living life, I have learned that you cannot swim in shallow waters. You need to risk the bottomlessness of life, the unseen, uncharted waters of life. Fear makes us cling to the shore so we settle for a shallow life, socially, politically and even religiously. It is in
the deep waters of life that the bountiful catch of Faith is found. Our Lord told his disciples “Set out for the deep” (Luke 5:4) and now more than ever we are being called to live our faith bravely. As we hear more and more of government over-reach, as we wonder when this embargo on living will be lifted, we find greater courage to live and to strive to live more fully. After the Resurrection the disciples were confronted by a profound question. “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). The question confronted their fear and emboldened them to discover the Lord, risen in their midst. Courage is the capacity of faith and hope and love to live life abundantly. We must discover that same courage, seen in the early Church, to bear witness to the Gospel, to call one another to conversion of heart and for us to manifest God’s abundant mercy. The word courage comes from the Latin words for heart (cor) and to act (agere). In courage the heart takes action and empowers us to live bravely. Courage is born of love, and in difficult times love alone is the only sure remedy. Now we must
