A Martyrs Victory In A Spiritual Sense :: essays research papers fc

A Martyrs achievement in a Spiritual Sense     Bishop Francis X. Ford was a fountainhead educated, enormously gentle man, thatwas kicked, beaten, insulted, and surrounded by hatred. All this because of onemans beliefs. He was born in Brooklyn in 1892. He was the founder of theMaryknoll Missionaries and was the first bishop of Kwantung, China. He waskilled in the late 1950s in China, he was charged with anti-Communist,counterrevolutionary, and espionage activities, his real " abhorrence" was for being aChristian and a foreigner.     During his life Bishop Ford illustrated the underlying virtue of fortitude,which is the ability to overcome fear in order to employ good "it is an activesake to overcome evil for the sake of gods kingdom" said Huggard. When he tookoffice in China, the country was already whole tone the effects of the massiveJapanese advance across Asia. In a short succession millions lost there lives andwere dr iven from there homes. Bishop cut across refused to leave the war-torn country,even after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States intothe war. During this time he distinguished himself by the government agency he cared for warrefugees. Chinese paid a appalling price during this war with Japan, but evenmore costly was a civil war that followed. Bishop Ford exemplified the virtueof fortitude, by not go forth the war-torn country and staying to try to pursuegood.     During this time of war, many would oddment what was the reason for himto stay in China, and what was his why to live? In the wise A Mans Search ForMeaning, Nietzsche says "he who has a why to live female genitalia bear with almost anyhow". If Ford had left the country during the time of war, there would cave inprobably been no hope for the war refugees that didnt have the option to stayor go. His why to live was not to hold back himself, but to save others. In th eNovel Frankl describes the human person as a meaning maker, who has the lasthuman freedom namely to charter one attitude in a given set of circumstances. In1950, he moved from his Diocese in Kaying China, to a political prison in Canton200, miles away. At every stop along the way he was put on public display andhumiliated. His attitude during these lolly was not to give and let thehumiliation make get to him, but to use it as a stepping stone to fight harder,he did the required he used the humiliation to make him better.