The Psalmist encourages us to "wait for the Lord with courage". Each day our world seems to plunge further into turmoil and suffering, and so the need for sincere and honest Christians to act with courage grows. We need courage to stand for the values that we treasure. We need courage to witness to the truth. In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul reflects on the uncertainty that marks our Christian life in the world. From the standpoint of faith, he can point to the very definite certainty at the heart of all human uncertainty: God has not destined us for wrath but for salvation. The uncertainty that surrounds our human existence in this world is often covered over by a false courage, which trumpets "peace and security" based on human initiatives and machinations.

The certainty of faith exists because God has not destined us for wrath but for salvation. Paul also expresses this certainty in the truth that we are children of the light. In the midst of turmoil and terrorism, the vocation to let our light shine before others is even more imperative. We must bring the light of faith, hope and love into the world as we "comfort and upbuild one another".