The Quality of Mercy - Soldiers of These United States
(November 17, 2009) |
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Almost everyone in America has been somehow affected by the recent
events at the Ft Hood Army Base. The events were seemed particularly
intense because only days later Americans honored those who served in
Veterans Day observances around the nation.
Just when we thought there couldn't be another movie about WW II along
comes Spielberg's ‘Saving Private Ryan' and the ten part miniseries
about the 101st Airborne's Easy Company with the epic and stirring film
Band of Brothers.
Most Americans are not na�ve about the strains of war and they realize
that sometimes soldiers will act out their worst under the pressures of
warfare. Yet there is an unparalleled history of military dignity,
observances of the rules of war and concerted effort to observe the
provisions of the Geneva Convention in American fighting men and women.All of this fails sometimes not because they are soldiers or U.S.
Soldiers but because they are human.
Yet it is that humanity that can also draw out the finest behavior in
those under great stress and in life threatening circumstances. This
accounts for the fact that no other country in the world can tell of so
many military
heroes. |
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My father was a burly handsome Italian speaking American
GI who loved to tell stories about his escapades in
Europe during WW II. Fun loving and mildly recalcitrant
he laughed about how he skipped off base at night by
putting on civilian clothes and sauntering boldly out of
the facilities. When questioned at the gates he would
just start spouting off in Italian and the guards would
let him pass thinking he was one of the locals.
The brass wouldn't let him stay in Italy and he was soon
shipped out to chase the fleeing German troops across
the hedgerows and byways of the German county side.
Battles and skirmishes waxed and waned and he paused
once to ask his Sergeant what that buzzing noise was he
heard all around him at times as he charged across the
open fields. His Sergeant replied with, “Don't worry
about it soldier, and just thank God that you can still
hear the buzzing because when you can't you will
probably be dead.”
One story dad repeated often always provoked my deepest
awe and while I never told him to his face I have never
been as proud of him as I was for the way he handled
himself in that particular circumstance.
He had just been in an intense firefight with German
soldiers and had little sleep for days. He sat up with
his rifle in hand and tried to sleep for just a few
minutes until the next call came to move out. The call
came and his entire company rushed forward to the next
position but he failed to wake up.
When he did awake he found himself completely alone and
unable to determine which way his company had moved. He
followed his gut instinct and headed off in the
direction he thought they would take but as he moved
away only a few yards he heard a muffled voice and
jerked himself around quickly with his rifle pointing in
the direction of the sounds.
There in a ravine lay two wounded German soldiers and
although they were bloodied up they were not in imminent
danger of dying. They motioned to him by spreading out
their hands as best as they could and achingly cried out
the words, ‘mercy, mercy.' With his finger poised firmly
on the trigger and no one around to witness anything he
pondered their situation and wondered what he would want
someone to do for him if the tables were turned.
In only a few seconds he decided to show mercy as
requested and dashed off to find his company. He came
through the rest of the war unscathed and returned home
to his family to live a long and productive life.
Acts of mercy, kindness and compassion coming from a
fully dressed and fully armed soldier may seem like the
perfect non-sequitur but in the legacy of the American
soldier that is not true. Acts of compassion in our
brave servicemen are a reflection of America and all
that it was meant to be.
Mercy is an outcome of upbringing and association with a
nation that was founded on principles that cannot be
compared to any others in the history of civilization.
Abraham Lincoln said “I have always found mercy bears
richer fruits than strict justice.” An American soldier
may have the power of death in his hands but because he
is an American soldier we want to think he will never
forget the power of mercy in his heart.
The balance between life and death hangs on the
simplicity of another simple but profound rule given to
us by the Lord Jesus Christ, “Blessed are the merciful:
for they shall obtain mercy.” (Mt 5:7) | |
By
Rev. Michael Bresciani
Copyright 2009
Rev Bresciani is a columnist for
online and print publications and has over two million
readers and counting.
His site at
http://www.americanprophet.org
is the place for news, articles, movie and book reviews and
other insights for life.
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