{"id":78,"date":"2009-01-03T00:10:24","date_gmt":"2009-01-03T07:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/?p=78"},"modified":"2009-01-03T00:10:24","modified_gmt":"2009-01-03T07:10:24","slug":"thoughts-concerning-fortitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/?p=78","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts Concerning Fortitude"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thoughts Concerning Fortitude<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Chapel Talk <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

by Allyce Cay-Bothmann<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>What makes the quality of fortitude<\/span> or endurance<\/span> or perseverance<\/span> a virtue?\u00a0 <\/span>There are such things as beginner\u2019s luck, when initial tries pan out beautifully, but nothing of consequence is gained \u00a0<\/span>without the will to succeed.\u00a0 <\/span>The more know-how and assistance we have available, the simpler a task may be.\u00a0 <\/span>If we take on a project of some duration, there may be ups and downs with times of encouragement and times of disappointment and often deep discouragement.\u00a0 <\/span>What do you think persons of considerable accomplishment do to hold out until an end is in view?\u00a0 <\/span>Eddie Rickenbacker, during Worlds War II, floated in a small life raft in the <\/span>Pacific Ocean<\/span> for twenty-one days and nights—–drinking seawater and trying to catch some little creature to eat.\u00a0 <\/span>He said that anyone who had enough food to eat and sufficient fresh water to drink should never have anything else to complain about.\u00a0 <\/span>He completed his special ordeal as an example to the world of great fortitude.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We have our ordeals—–small and great and they confront us every day.\u00a0 <\/span>Knowing of those of accomplishments, each is a study in a one-pointed aim toward something chosen as worthy of his effort. The amount of time required, the means and the energy to be expended depends\u00a0on the thing to be done. \u00a0<\/span>What about those of us who have a desire to qualify for earning a decent living?\u00a0 <\/span>If we have the determination to work in the direction of our ideal and complete the requirements, we will earn the reward.\u00a0 <\/span>I once asked a teacher of Braille, how she learned this most difficult skill so late in life.\u00a0 <\/span>What kept her studying eight hours each day for at least five years to attain this mastery?\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI was determined,\u201d she said.\u00a0 <\/span>We are told that we can overcome some of the foreordained characteristics of our nature by a very strong will.\u00a0 <\/span>It takes will power to have fortitude.\u00a0 <\/span>As we learn to manage our desires, ameliorating them with wisdom, there are ways opened to great accomplishment.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There are inner accomplishments and outer accomplishments.\u00a0 <\/span>The professional excellences and big splashes we make on the world scene—–whether local or international—–do not necessarily count as personal progress.\u00a0 <\/span>It is the management of applying virtue to our thinking.\u00a0 <\/span>We grow when we step back to give credit to another or when we point away from the all-important ego by controlling ourselves—–and do this time after time.\u00a0 <\/span>This builds perseverance and makes us more appreciated than if we had gained outer satisfaction momentarily, yet postponed refinement of the character.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We know that a young person who has been given much materially or intellectually, and who has not had to struggle to earn these advantages, may easily look down upon those of less aptitude. \u00a0<\/span>It takes having been there, of having experienced the effort of concentrated exertion to accrue and hold empathy—–to be conscious of the strength in another and to understand what is required toward specific success.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Patience and a respect for timing enhance fortitude.\u00a0 <\/span>We are not always in the same frame of mind, though the circumstances appear the same.\u00a0 <\/span>What of the four-year-old little tyke who breaks curfew and sneaks downstairs to stand in front of her daddy, when he is at last relaxing from the duties of a long day?\u00a0 <\/span>If the father is not too tired or if he happens to be in a good mood, the little escapee from his bed is in luck.\u00a0 <\/span>The father may take the child on his lap and tell him a story before taking him up to his room.\u00a0 <\/span>However, if the man has some special worry or is troubled with some of the day\u2019s happenings, the naughty, wandering child may get a loud scolding at be marched peremptorily out of his parent\u2019s presence.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Many times it takes old age to bring understanding into relationships.\u00a0 <\/span>The compilation of years presses heavily on the human system, and one never knows when the younger, easier times will be taken away.\u00a0 <\/span>If it be painful illness; reduction of memory; bodily disability of hearing, sight, mobility or whatever; it is exactly what will best teach an arrogant spirit a modicum of humility, as well as fortitude in the face of misery and failure.\u00a0 <\/span>Even the great Solomon became feeble and his eyes grew dim.\u00a0 <\/span>He did not need his many wives or his thousand concubines.\u00a0 <\/span>Queen Elizabeth I, when exhausted from her long reign and knowing her death was near, would not lie down in her regal bed.\u00a0 <\/span>She sat at its foot and after a little time, held out in that position until her end.\u00a0 <\/span>Thomas Jefferson, although not so interested in the law, practiced it successfully for five years.\u00a0 <\/span>He had a number of other interests and enjoyed them all better, but it was a part of his destiny to manage very well these years of his life to prepare him for leadership as a statesman.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Two parables in the testament of Jesus show the fortitude of the women who were healed.\u00a0 <\/span>One woman had been restricted for over a quarter of a century with what the scripture calls \u201can issue of blood.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Imagine the problems this would engender to a young girl who would become a young woman within that time, whose purpose in life was to marry and give children to the world.\u00a0 <\/span>It does not say if she was in pain, but some of our Lord\u2019s greatest miracles were directed to those who had reached desperation.\u00a0 <\/span>They were not as the nine lepers, who walked blithely away, with only the tenth bothering to turn around and give a word of thanks.\u00a0 <\/span>This woman had heard of the great rabbi who had healed somebody that a friend knew but who likely did not realize how fiercely this long-beset lady grasped at hope.\u00a0 <\/span>But this afflicted woman watched and listened until she found the time when Jesus would visit her town, and in misery or not, she joined the throngs of all manner of people who were following him, and she struggled through the crowds, eventually making a place for herself close enough behind the master.\u00a0 <\/span>And as he was walking, she touched the hem of his garment.\u00a0 <\/span>She was taking no chances at waiting to get his attention later with all of these people.\u00a0 <\/span>She believed he was the promised great Messiah, and she felt in her heart, worn sensitive and eager, that he could heal her.\u00a0 <\/span>Also, she was embarrassed by her malady and would appreciate just being normal again and able to lead the life she had sorely missed during all of those nearly three decades.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The master, however, felt compassion go out from him and turned toward her.\u00a0 <\/span>He was not accustomed to such belief and the devotion that went with it.\u00a0 <\/span>This is the kind of spiritual fortitude that our severe challenges bring forth.\u00a0 <\/span>This is what endurance against life\u2019s difficulties engenders.\u00a0 <\/span>This is a demonstration of how we improve and advance in our lives.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>An example of Christ Jesus as super teacher and that of a woman of perseverance, great faith and wit is related in another parable.\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus and some of his disciples were, you might way, vacationing far from their native country.\u00a0 <\/span>They had come into the territory of their ancient enemies—–<\/span>Tyre<\/span> and <\/span>Sidon<\/span>—–the land of the ancient Canaanites who were considered untouchable and on the level of the Samaritans.\u00a0 <\/span>It seems the disciples felt they had traveled far (to the end of the <\/span>Mediterranean Sea<\/span> for a little rest and recreation) when there came a Canaanite woman, crying out and throwing herself at the master\u2019s feet.\u00a0 <\/span>She said her darling daughter is possessed by demons and is uncontrollable.\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus teaches two lessons here, being always perfect in his ministry, and he ignores the woman.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>This is natural to his onlookers, as to them she is an enemy and not worthy to look upon.\u00a0 <\/span>They tell Jesus to send her away, but she keeps following them and crying out, \u201cLord have mercy on my darling daughter.\u00a0 <\/span>Help me!\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Still Jesus says nothing, yet he is quietly watching the reactions of his followers, who impatiently wait for him to send the nuisance away.\u00a0 <\/span>For the third time she calls him Lord and begs for his healing mercy.\u00a0 <\/span>Then the master teacher – healer speaks to the poor woman.\u00a0 <\/span>He tells her he was not sent to people of <\/span>Tyre<\/span> and <\/span>Sidon<\/span>; such cities were to the Jews a hiss and a byword of wickedness.\u00a0 <\/span>He was only sent to the children of <\/span>Israel<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>He uses the word \u201cdogs\u201d to describe the status of her people—–not with meanness, but to get sufficient attention from his followers and lead them into what he wants them to understand.\u00a0 <\/span>In effect, he tells the woman that he did not come to minister to the dogs of this rebellious place.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Still, this woman is so desperate for help that she summons all her fortitude and intelligence and with a little dash of wit replies, \u201cBut the little dogs can eat the little crumbs from the master\u2019s table.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>The Greek translation renders the wording in the diminutive.\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus watches the disciples to see if they could possibly be catching on to what he is about.\u00a0 <\/span>No.\u00a0 <\/span>They are merely more annoyed at the Canaanite woman\u2019s presence. \u00a0<\/span>Patiently, Jesus wishes to show that although the multifarious groups of the levels and ranks of mortals are exclusive—–ever leaving others out—–his Father\u2019s kingdom is inclusive and will take in anyone who will have Him.\u00a0 <\/span>When Jesus replies, in the Greek, he uses an E before the next word, as it is an exclamation.\u00a0 <\/span>He says in translation, \u201cOh, Woman!\u00a0 <\/span>Woman you have mega faith.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>And the woman had her reward.\u00a0 <\/span>Her daughter was healed from that very hour.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Mega are the rewards of fortitude.\u00a0 <\/span>Some tasks need only a little effort, but hard work is a virtue, with endurance as well as persistence pressed over again and again, applied and reapplied, toward greater achievement.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>May we have the faith and put forth the effort to make the most of the lessons we learn in the various ways that are given to us—–remembering that as we progress in love and selflessness, the more quickly we rise above the mortal challenges toward the divine destiny already realized in the mind of the Father.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Allyce Cay-Bothmann<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thoughts Concerning Fortitude A Chapel Talk by Allyce Cay-Bothmann \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What makes the quality of fortitude or endurance or perseverance a virtue?\u00a0 There are such things as beginner\u2019s luck, when initial tries pan out beautifully, but nothing of consequence is gained \u00a0without the will to succeed.\u00a0 The more know-how and assistance we have available, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapel-talks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=78"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78\/revisions\/79"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astrowin.org\/rffriends\/wpx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}