Day 12: We are the Anvil, Not the Hammer
Intention
To encourage our hearts to be steadfast and immovable in the Lord’s work.
Scripture
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:58
Reflection
Blessed Clemens August von Galen (1878–1946) was a Catholic Cardinal and Bishop of Münster during the Second World War. As one of my favourite saints and a staunch and outspoken critic of Nazism, he has much to teach us today.
In a 1941 sermon, he preached about resisting the enemy in these terms.
“The only way we can hit back is by strong, prolonged and stubborn endurance. Steel yourselves and hold fast!”
“At this moment we are not the hammer, but the anvil. Others, chiefly intruders and apostates, hammer at us; they are striving violently to wrench us, our nation and our youth from our belief in God.”
“We are the anvil, I say, and not the hammer, but what happens in the forge? Go and ask the blacksmith and see what he says. Whatever is beaten out on the anvil receives its shape from the anvil as well as the hammer. The anvil cannot and need not strike back. It need only be hard and firm.”
“If it is tough enough, it invariably outlives the hammer. No matter how vehemently the hammer falls; the anvil remains standing in quiet strength, and for a long time will play its part in helping to shape what is being moulded.”
This is how I have come to understand our role as Christians today. The time may come – and, in some respects, is already here – when we are forbidden by law or other pressures to proclaim the truth about sexual integrity, marriage and family life. The gospel is often characterised as ‘harmful’ or ‘hate speech’.
What is a faithful Christian to do in such circumstances? How do we pass on our faith to a future generation when we are silenced?
We can learn from Cardinal von Galen’s words and those from St Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. We remain steadfast and immovable, confident that our resistance is formative and that our labours are not in vain.
We must support each other as we display the truth, beauty and goodness of God’s vision for sexuality in our own lives.
And we pray for the strength to endure the strikes of the hammer and not fall into despair.
After all, we know who wins in the end.
Video
Prayer
Heavenly Father, it is easy for us to look at the rejection of Your great plan for humanity and believe there is nothing we can do to proclaim Your truth in a world that seems intent to drown it out.
Give us the faith to remain steadfast in our witness to life and love. Give us the hope to know that resistance is formative and our labours are not in vain. And give us a deeper love of You and our neighbour.
We ask this in Jesus’ most beautiful name, amen.
Author Bio
Monica Doumit is the Director, Public Affairs and Engagement for the Archdiocese of Sydney and a columnist with The Catholic Weekly.
Prayer Points and Purpose for October 2024
- Revival and restoration of sexual integrity to renew the individual, revitalise marriages, restore families and protect children. Hebrews 13:4
- Revival, repentance and reformation of Australia. 2 Chronicles 7:14
- Revival, repentance and reformation of America. 2 Chronicles 7:14
- The Lamb that was slain may receive a reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:12
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It is so hard to remain positive when we are hit from all sides and are prevented from passing on our Faith to our children and grandchildren. Our Bible is God’s Truth , not “hate speech ” or to be vilified. Keep up your goodwork, Monica Doumit.
Thank you Monica for these precious words of encouragement and deep wisdom.
Monica, thank you! It is a great picture of truth. The steel is hot, very hot. The hammer will get very hot and so will the anvil in contact with the steel and the constant pounding of the hammer. But the picture of the immovable anvil that silently imparts its shape and characteristics to the steel. Wonderful!