A brave Spirit

The most spectacular fruit of the Spirit, in the hearts of the disciples, is courage. On the day of Pentecost, at a stroke, everything is turned upside-down. Wounds are healed by the balm of the Spirit. Peter and the Eleven leave their homes and speak courageously to the Jews as free men.

The courage to reach out to the world and to witness to Jesus Christ – whatever the cost – is the gift of the Spirit to the Church. We need this because our courage is more often for the internal use of the Church. True courage, however, witnesses before those who are far from the Church, or who do not share our faith, or are actually hostile toward it.