Shakespeare’s Henry V provides a rousing interpretation of what King Henry must have said to rally his troops on St. Crispin’s Day. Central to it is the idea of the few who are tied together by blood, forming a fellowship which should be remembered throughout time:
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
We are called to a similar fellowship with Christ. We are called brothers and sisters of Christ when we die to the self for him. Some literally shed their blood to hold up the honor of the Church, but others take on the powers that be, and they fight the good fight for the sake of truth and justice in the world. It is not a war with physical weapons, but a spiritual battle, where evil has to be confronted and overcome. They risk their lives for the sake of the oppressed, willing to take on authorities, following the noble path that Christ has placed in the world. They will expose any threats placed upon them and turn those threats against those who make them, showing the world the way evil tries to bully others in order to keep in power. They never stop the good fight when there is a tyrant before them. They might call others to their side, but, like King Henry, they will not ask others to take a risk which they are themselves not willing to take. They are not warriors on the field of truth standing at the side, exhorting others to fight for them; they are there, struggling for liberty, and if others come, they appreciate the company, but if no help comes, they remain on the field, working for the good of all. They don’t have to be perfect to follow their conscience. They might be riddle with prejudices of their own, making the fight one which is internal as well as external. But if they hold out for justice, they will not let such prejudices stop them – they will push on, and work for everyone, knowing that true liberty comes when everyone is loved and treated with personal respect. Like St. Francis of Assisi, they will confront their bias head on, and the love they show will be greater, more true, because it is a love which was sought and fought for, an extraordinary love which only a noble few attains in this life. They will risk their lives even for those they formerly distrusted, bringing in new friendships and bonds which will hold out for all time:
be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
The one who might have been seen as vile in the past, becomes a brother and sister when you struggle with them for the common good. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 RSV). They become your friends as they work together with, and their lives become merge with yours, making you one with them. You might not be called to literally die for them, but if you are willing to give completely of yourself, to place your complete trust in them and them in you, you have indeed lay down your life for them, putting it at risk, showing how great a love you have for them – you have died to the self and all the prejudices of the past and elevated the one you despised to that of family.
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Those who fight for the good get honor and respect; their memories are made eternal for the good they have done. Those who have failed to follow the path of the good will mourn and weep – they will know they have not followed the path of justice, the path which leads to God. They will weep knowing that they were called to the universal spiritual battle and failed to follow through with the service they could have rendered. They will see themselves accursed, for they will see the one they have failed to serve was none other than Jesus himself, who is found in everyman and woman, everyone who suffers injustice and oppression:
Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:41-46 RSV).
This St. Crispin’s Day, I remember and honor my father, who fought the good fight for justice. He died, one year ago today (October 25, 2010). The day was a very fitting day for his memorial; what I write above comes, in part, from what I have seen my father achieve in his life. He was a Vietnam Veteran, a trial judge who volunteered to go to Vietnam because he did not want to be a hypocrite and convict people for going AWOL if he were not willing to go on a tour of duty himself. In Indianapolis, he was a voice for justice; he would speak out for what he believed was good and true, helping anyone who he saw was being unjustly oppressed. He befriended many in his time which, earlier in his life, would have surprised him, but it is was his good heart and desire for truth and justice which led him to transcend himself and to follow the example of Christ. His example has been the first of many which has shown me the need to act and not just speak, to stand for one’s convictions, no matter the consequences. While he and I could and did disagree on many things, I was proud of him and I know he was proud of me, proud that I followed his example in my own way. This St. Crispin’s Day, I once again pray to God:
Eternal memory. Eternal memory. Grant to your servant, O Lord, blessed repose and eternal memory.
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