The meaning of courage

True courage is shown by people who are afraid. A veteran of Bataan, writing about the heroic stand of our soldiers there, said that at the first onslaught of the Japanese, our soldiers broke ranks and gave way. They were raw recruits, with no experience of real combat. They were brave on parade but when the guns started booming and real bullets were flying, their bravery collapsed.

That initial victory misled the Japanese. They expected to take all of Bataan on the next onslaught. But when they made the second assault, they found themselves retreating. Our soldiers had found their courage. They continued to be afraid, but they conquered their fear and fought back. The casualties inflicted on the attackers forced the Japanese to send for reinforcements.

That heroic stand lasted four months. When the surrender came, it was not our soldiers who made the decision. It was a decision (doubtless a necessary one) of the Ame-rican High Command.

Real courage does not necessarily imply fearlessness. Really heroic courage is shown by those who are dreadfully afraid who overcome their fear and do what has to be done.

That is the real significance of Gethsemani. This man who goes there at night to pray is a man dreadfully afraid. The mere thought of what is ahead sends him into an agony – an agony so intense that he actually sweats blood.

Who can understand an emotional state that can actually kill a person? "My soul is sorrowful even unto death." Sorrowful is an understatement. He means, "I can die of fear."

He prays to be delivered from the approaching calamity: "Father, if it be possible, all things are possible unto Thee, let this chalice pass from me." He repeats it many times.

Yet this man says, "Not my will but Thine be done."

Now we can understand why it took an hour or even longer before he could calm himself; why three times he interrupted his prayer to look for comfort from his companions – and did not find it. They were asleep. He had to go back to wrestle with his problem alone – alone with his Father, repeating the same words.

We admire and honor the fearless person. We envy such a person. But the real hero is the person who is afraid and nevertheless does what needs to be done.

It is a self-possessed Jesus who meets the mob that came to arrest him. He did not wait for them to come. He went out to meet them. "Whom do you seek?" he asked. They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." He said calmly, "I am." And they arrested him.