Spirituality in War: Victory Through Faith

Sunday’s Spiritual Quote

“There is no substitute for the spiritual, in war.  Miracles must be wrought if victories are to be won, and to work miracles men’s hearts must…be afire with self-sacrificing love for each other, for their units, for their division, and for their country.  If each man knows that all the officers and men in his division are animated with the same fiery zeal as he himself feels, unquenchable courage and unconquerable determination crush out fear, and death becomes preferable to defeat or dishonor.”[i]

Major General John A. Lejeune, USMC

from The Reminiscences of a Marine

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The true strength of the men and women of our armed forces is their faith in themselves and in others; faith in their skills, their abilities and their resources.  They must have faith and courage to overcome adversity during the chaos of war and the constant struggles of military life.  Faith is the bedrock of teamwork, and General Lejeune’s quote speaks to the power of esprit de corps, and one’s solidarity and devotion to the love of victory over defeat for themselves, their teammates, their unit, and their country.  Therefore, it is one’s faith that becomes their secret weapon, and prayer is the secret battleground where victories are won.[ii]

Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.  Through faith we perceive that what is visible came into being through the invisible by faith.

Hebrews 11:1

 

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Footnote:

[i] The Reminiscences of a Marine. Major General John A. Lejeune. Philadelphia, PA: Dorrance and Company, 1930. Chapter Fifteen, Nancy, Marbache, Colombey – Les Belles. p. 307. Hathi Trust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org/). Web. Date Accessed on 10 Feb. 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015008300819

[ii] Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire – By James Montgomery (1771-1854) – Words written in 1818 at the re­quest of Ed­ward Bick­er­steth, who want­ed them for his book, Trea­tise on Pray­er.  Mont­gom­ery called this “the most at­tract­ive hymn I ev­er wrote.”

Photo Credit:

Lt.Gen. John Archer Lejeune (1867-1942) – Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune website – http://www.lejeune.marines.mil/

 

Related Articles:

• John A. Lejeune: True Soldier via Marine Corps Gazette – Professional Journal of U.S. Marines (mca-marines.org)
• Secret Weapon – Men Overcoming Chaos – Part One: Earning One’s Credentials and Part Two: Survival Depends on the Life Value You Choose – By Lt. Col. Dave Winecoff, USMC (Ret.), with Chuck Dean
• Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience by By Karel Montor – Section 94, Spiritual Welfare, page 466 – General Charles Krulak (31st Commandant of the Marine Corps) discusses General John A. Lejeune’s quote – http://books.google.com/books?id=GjAezYi6wvQC&pg=PA466&lpg=PA466&dq=%
• Quote of the Day By General John A. Lejeune (commandperformanceleadership.wordpress.com)