Chris and I recently watched the movie Invictus. I liked the movie. If you have seen it, it will be obvious to you that it made me remember the poem "Invictus" (first published in 1888), which at one point I had memorized.
Invictus by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
It's a powerful poem, don't you think? In about 1927, Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote this response to the declaration "I am the captain of my soul":
The Soul's Captain by Orson F. Whitney
Art thou in truth? Then what of him
Who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood?
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear. –
The God who died that man might live,
And endless glory share?
Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light may pierce the gloom,
That thou mayest see aright.
Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree.
Thou, captain of thy soul, forsooth
Who gave that place to thee?
Free will is thine -- free agency
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto Him
To whom all souls belong.
Bend to the dust that head "unbowed,"
Small part of Life's great whole!
And see in Him, and Him alone,
The Captain of thy soul.
I am not criticizing "Invictus," which is powerful and empowering. However, it's essential to recognize that our real power on this earth comes from a Higher Power.
And yesterday I read this little gem from President Spencer W. Kimball: "The man who leans heavily on his Lord becomes master of self and can accomplish anything he sets out to do, whether it be to secure the brass plates, build a ship, overcome a habit, or conquer a deep-seated transgression" (from The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 176).
[If you would like to read Elder Whitney's thoughts on "Invictus" in context, you can find those here.]
2 comments:
Awesome. Thank you.
I love the poem that Henley wrote. I think it's beautiful. I ldon't get Elder Whitneys version of it when I read it but rather the Pres Kimballs context.
But you are right..all power comes through our Savior and beyond being able to control our choices our 'soul' is in His hands.
Who needs to do Gospel study when I can just come to your blog and be led to ponder. ;-)
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