In the Christian tradition, the heart is the core of our being. It is not just an organ that circulates blood and sustains life. It also contains the essence of our humanity and individual identity. The human heart contains our gifts and talents. It contains our passions and personalities (which sometimes need to be checked and disciplined). And it contains our desire for God, our longing for holiness, and our yearning for heaven. The heart is also the seat of what Pope Francis calls an “inner strength” that enables and inspires us to transcend the gloom of our suffering world; to act with humility and kindness toward our neighbors; to be patient with the faults and failings of our brothers and sisters; and to persevere in faith, hope, love, and prayer.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus says: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives (Luke 21:19).” To persevere is to forge ahead in the face of difficulty without concern for riches or recognition. To persevere is to persist, carry on, and stick it out regardless of what happens next in our lives on this earth. According to the Holy Father, perseverance is a sign of holiness that lays the foundation, then builds and fortifies the “inner strength” that can empower us to choose love, mercy, and goodwill in everyday situations.

In a spiritual context, people who persevere are steadfast, determined, and tenacious in their need and longing for prayer; their need and longing for God’s love and mercy; and their need and longing for nurturing relationships with others. People who persevere acknowledge and understand the shadows all around us, but guard the gates of their hearts with faith, hope, love, prayer, and good works. People who persevere turn away from darkness and turn toward, then run toward, and finally flee into the arms of Jesus. Once there, embraced by the Lord’s boundless love and friendship, persevering people are strengthened for the road ahead, regardless of whether the journey is paved with joy, hardship, or suffering.

In Rejoice & Be Glad, Pope Francis writes: “The first of the great signs [of holiness] is solid grounding in the God who loves and sustains us. This source of inner strength enables us to persevere amid life’s ups and downs, but also to endure hostility, betrayal, and failings on the part of others (GE 112).” The pope goes on: “Inner strength, as the work of grace, prevents us from becoming carried away by the violence that is so much a part of life today (GE 116).” Pope Francis is not referring here just to the violence associated with street crime, mass shootings, or wars between nations. He is also talking about the verbal violence that we commit against each other through lies, gossip, and the petty nastiness that is so common nowadays.

In the face of such darkness, we can find light and refuge with each other. We can find comfort and reassurance among the people who love and support us. We can find strength and sup- port in communities of faith like this one. Pope Francis writes: “A community that cherishes the little details of love, whose members care for one another, and create an open and evangelizing environment, is a place where the Risen Lord is present, sanctifying it in accordance with God’s plan (GE 145).” Eight years ago, this is the kind of community that I found here in Gloucester and Rockport. This is the kind of community that we have been and it is the kind of community that God calls us to be. Now is not the time to relent, give up, or compromise our mission. Forever and always, now is the time to persevere in the little details of love!

Cliff Garvey
Associate Minister
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: cgarvey@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (11-13-22)
Bringing Home the Word (11-13-22)
The Kids Bulletin (11-13-22)

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Call to Prayer
The Power of a Whisper

By Father Austin Fleming