Journal of Sacred Work

   Today's meditation was written by Cathy Self, Senior Vice-President for the Baptist Healing Trust.

        “Heroes from time immemorial have lived for something greater than themselves “ (Pearson, author of The Hero Within). President Lincoln was such a hero, one who lived for his country, for principle, and ultimately for history. By definition, heroes have a transcendent function, says Pearson, and bring renewed life not only to themselves but to the world. Progress is not automatic but rather results from aggregate decisions of individuals who consider not only their own good, but the greater good of society, humankind, and the planet.

     Pearson describes a number of heroic archetypes, including the Altruist which, when it emerges in our lives, helps us connect to our capacity for love and devotion, and even to an instinct to sacrifice ourselves when necessary for the greater good. In ancient days revered saints and martyrs were known to have given their lives for country or faith. Today such sacrifice is expressed in our willingness to forgo individual achievement to be a good team player, to sacrifice for our children, and to reach out the poor and vulnerable. This is altruism at its best, and the most authentic expression of altruism comes from love. And there is a paradox – the more freely and fearlessly we give from authentic love, the less it feels like sacrifice and the more is becomes a way of being, a place of living out of abundance and generosity.

     The altruist hero is asked to face some hard questions – what do you love enough to die for? What do you really value? What do you want to give to the world? What do you want your legacy to be? On the other side of these questions, whether we can give voice to the answers or not, is the opportunity to be kind and caring to others, to be attentive to what others need, to pay attention.   

Abraham Lincoln paid attention and let the altruist within step out into the light of love and right. And today, we are better because he did.