Twenty-fourth Day
The gift of fortitude is necessary in some degree to one who is anxious to save his soul. All Christians are called on, at some time or other, to endure in the practice of their religion things for which mere human courage will not suffice. Those who desire a high place in heaven have a hard struggle before them, a struggle which would be beyond the power of many of us if we did not rely on the Holy Ghost. The gift of fortitude is the power to be strong of soul as the athlete is strong of body; for as a man hardens and develops his frame by all sorts of physical exercises, so also should the soul develop the good that is in her—which is the highest good—by spiritual exercises. Of her own power she is not able to do great things, but by the work of God the Holy Ghost she can do them. We can bear heavy sorrows with patience and resignation; we can rise out of vices and evil habits by means of fortitude, when without this virtue we would remain slaves of Satan. How pusillanimous were the apostles in the beginning of their apostolic career; there was a disgraceful weakness exhibited at the Passion of Our Lord. Peter denied Our Lord, and the rest fled and hid themselves.
Prayer.
Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, etc., etc.