“Have no fear of robbers or murderers. They are external dangers, petty dangers. We should fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices the real murderers. The great dangers are within us. Why worry about what threatens our heads or our purses? Let us think instead of what threatens our souls.” – Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
Fear is a natural response to something that might destroy us. Courage is our God-given ability to face our fears when it is more beneficial to fight rather than to run away.
What’s wrong with us is to fear the wrong things and to not find courage for the things worth fighting for.
We fear being lonely, but we’re not afraid of being with someone who disrespects us. We fear sickness, but we’re not afraid of death. We fear losing our pride, but we’re not afraid to lose our dignity.
We have to know what to fear and what to fight for. We have to know when to run away and when to keep on holding on.
Don’t be afraid of being responsible for your actions. But fear betraying others just to satisfy your desires. Don’t be afraid of making a sacrifice for the ones you love. But fear your own selfishness and using other people just to feed your pride. Don’t be afraid of suffering that comes naturally in this life. But be afraid that your heart loses compassion and your soul loses its very life.
So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell. – Matthew 5:29-30, GNT
Check Jocelyn's books:
"Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief", "Mend My Broken Heart", "Questions to God", "To Love an Invisible God", "Defending My Catholic Faith", and more - click here.
(You may freely quote excerpts from this website as long as due credit is given to author Jocelyn Soriano and the website itakeoffthemask.com)