Members and guests we recently celebrated Memorial
Day. The holiday was originally called Decoration
Day because this is when the graves of those who
died in the Civil War were decorated. Memorial
Day is a day of remembrance for the men and
women who died in service to our nation. The
tradition of the red poppy came about in 1915
inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields” by
Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John
McCrae describing a cemetery in Belgium. When
we celebrate Memorial Day we recognize the
courage demonstrated by those who made the
supreme sacrifice for our freedom. In the Bible New
Testament book of John 15:13 speaking to his
disciples Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than
this --that one lay down his life for his friends.”
Here in the United States we sometimes award them
the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Members you may recall that this year I have
presented messages on virtues. We discussed faith,
gratitude and humility. Today I would like to add
another to that list--courage. Courage is often
misunderstood. Many see courage as the absence of
fear. Fear is natural the absence of fear is lunacy or
serious drugs. Poet, Alexander Pope brought this
concept home in a poem “Fools rush in where
angels fear to tread.”1 Courage is the ability to
overcome fear. Courage is the will to go forward in
spite of fear.
One of my personal heroes is former South African
prisoner and president, Nelson Mandela he said it
this way, “I learned that courage was not the
absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave
man or woman is not the one who does not feel
afraid, but the one who conquers that fear.”
Poet and author Maya Angelou defined courage as
“The most important of all virtues because without
courage, you can’t practice any other virtue
consistently.” Senators -courage is achieved through
faith, gratitude or humility and in some
circumstances a combination thereof. “No matter
how long you train someone to be brave, you never
know if they are until something real happens,”
author Veronica Roth.
1 An Essay on Criticism, 1709
Courage is not only measured in physical terms,
Gandhi was courageous and non-violent. Arguably
non-violence requires more courage than violence.
Mark Twain observed, “It is curious that physical
courage should be so common in the world and
moral courage so rare.” Members, this year the
United States Post Office issued a stamp honoring
Ms. Rosa Parks. It is simply titled, “Courage.” I
knew Ms. Parks personally, she was a small woman
in physical terms, but on the courage scale she was a
true giant, which is why a statue of her stands in the
rotunda of the United States Capitol.
“I am old enough to know that victory is often a
thing deferred, and rarely at the summit of
courage….What is at the summit of courage, I think,
is freedom. The freedom that comes with the
knowledge that no earthly thing can break you.”
California poet Paula Giddings.
World War II hero Admiral Chester Nimitz wrote
this prayer, “God grant me the courage not to give
up what I think is right, even though I think it is
hopeless.” It may take years of struggle to achieve
the victory of which we daily dream. Some days can
seem overwhelmingly grim. Those are the days
when many of us drop out of the race.
But for those who are able to reach down deep and
grab hold of some bit of courage, it is just another
day. Challenging, yes. But in the act of rising
above our disappointments, figuring out a new game
plan, there is an emancipation of our spirit. We will
not be stopped. 2
2 Black Pearls – Eric V. Copage
So Senators and guests on this day, gather the
courage to do at least one concrete thing that will
advance you toward one of your goals. 2
Amen.
