 I watched a video about a free-solo rock climber as part of a trip to Yosemite National Park. This man was the first person to climb El Capitan’s sheer granite face by only using his hands and feet. There were no ropes, clips, net, or safety equipment of any kind; one errant move and he would fall to his death. As if the climb was not amazing enough, he accomplished the ascent of the 3,000-foot face in 3 hours and 56 minutes.* To conquer a challenge such as this, one must have talent, know-how, and experience, but also an unwavering focus paired with confidence in one’s decisions and ability. He clearly had all of these things; it seems there is no rock wall that this man cannot summit. The same kind of focus was what the first disciples of Jesus had as they went forth on mission after His Resurrection, but with one major difference: rather than trusting in their own talent and experience, the apostles put their trust in God completely. They were empowered by their love for Jesus and by the Holy Spirit received at Pentecost.  There are some similarities between the apostles and the climber. First, each had to overcome every obstacle thrown in their way, even at the risk of death, and second, none of them had a visible (or tangible) safety net. But what the apostles did have was the ‘invisible’ aid of graces from the Holy Spirit. They had the power of faith, hope, and love and of the gifts and fruits of the Spirit which became visible in the way they carried out their ministry in communities and with groups that were often hostile. They were well aware of Jesus’ warning that giving up their lives was to be expected. Rather than being fearful, the apostles understood that death was no longer an obstacle, since in witnessing the Resurrected Jesus, they knew death had been conquered. Their love for Jesus was so great that they were willing to fulfill the calling they had from God to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth no matter what, while simultaneously having humility enough to realize and accept that without God they could accomplish nothing. Thus, they spoke with authority, but not with haughtiness. They healed, preached, and taught in the light of faith and strong belief, always with their eyes on Christ, having learned from the first experience of missioning when Jesus had sent them with nothing but the power of God which bore fruit through their faith. (Matt. 5:5-15; Luke 10:1-12)  At the Last Supper Jesus made it clear that their path would be difficult, but that they would also be empowered for the ministry to which they had been called. He said, “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is great than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:18-20) Although they did not understand what Jesus said at that time, they did understand it later as they lived as He did, sharing the gospel and working miracles with mercy and love. Indeed, they were hated and opposed as much as Jesus was because they lived not ‘of the world;’ they had “put on Christ.” (Romans 13:14)**  Therefore, we must realize that living the Gospel means taking to heart with prayer everything that we have been taught, asking the assistance of the Holy Spirit at all times, and putting it into practice in everything we do. It means confidently trusting that we can do the kind of works that the first disciples did. Sometimes we forget just how powerful we are: we can do everything Jesus taught. That is, we have access to the very same spiritual gifts and fruits as those given to the disciples when they went forth to spread the Good News. We can do great deeds even in the smallest ways through simple daily kindnesses. We can also bring healing to the wounded, welcome to the forgotten and outcast, care to the poor and homeless, and mercy to those who do not know mercy.*** We can and should speak the Gospel message, too. Many will shy away from this because of feelings of inadequacy concerning knowledge of the Scriptures, a sense of timidity, or the fear that someone might take offense. Indeed, many took offense at the first disciples and yet they carried on. But if we study the Bible, especially the Gospels, and pray with what we read, it will be imprinted on our heart; the Holy Spirit will help us speak as we ought. (Matthew 10:19-20) If we truly believe, then we should be willing to proclaim the Gospel in deed and in word!  We are called to be bold and we should claim that power. Trusting in God and His gifts, if we are reviled or hated, (a distinct possibility in this day and age), we can accept it with joy in the knowledge that we are walking in the company of the apostles. Spiritually we are never to be like a free-solo climber who chooses to work without any assistance. Rather, we have all the power of the love of God to give us courage and perseverance despite what the world tells us or puts in our way as stumbling blocks. Remember, we do not belong to the world; we are God’s.  May we ask the Holy Spirit to enliven the gifts we have been given! May we utilize the grace of courage in living our faith! And may we live in the faith that "we can do all things in Christ" just as the first disciples did! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!
©Michele L. Catanese * The climber is a man named Alex Honnald. The video can be found at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/most-dangerous-free-solo-climb-yosemite-national-park-el-capitan ** The ‘world,’ (or as St. Paul puts it, ‘the flesh’), refers to the realm of secularism, hubris, narcissism, selfishness, materialism, and evil. In short, it is where the evil one does his work. To be ‘of God’ is to be one who lives the gospel values Jesus taught: having a disposition of humility, selflessness, care, love of enemies, living simply, seeking justice, living with mercy and treating all with love. St. Paul further describes living according to the gospels as putting on Christ: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:14) And again: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) *** That is not to say that we shouldn't pray for healing and expect it, or any of the other works of the disciples in the first century. Indeed, we can! Jesus said that with faith we can move mountains, and St. Paul echoed this by saying, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) Images: 1. My photo; El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California. 2. Painting; Jesus Sent Them Out Two By Two, by James Tissot. 3. Icon; Christ All Merciful, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, this icon can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/christ-all-merciful-022-william-hart-mcnichols.html 4. My photo; Mount Owen, The Grand Tetons, Wyoming. 5. My photo; an open-air market in Catania, Sicily. 6. My photo; stained glass image of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. Comments are closed.
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