Easy Company

Belonging to a band of brothers who choose the hard road

01/17/2018

1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 David spoke to Saul: "Let your majesty not lose courage. I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine." But Saul answered David, "You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth." David continued: “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine." Saul answered David, "Go! the LORD will be with you." Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's bag. With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine. David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground. Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword. Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine's own sword which he drew from its sheath he dispatched him and cut off his head.

            Several years ago I watched one of the most gripping series called “Band of Brothers.” It’s about the World War II Army paratroopers unit called “Easy Company.” Their name is ironic because Easy Company never did anything “easy” in the war. In fact, they prided themselves on always getting the hardest assignments, thrown into the teeth of the enemy against insurmountable odds. For instance, they were among the first to land on D-Day on the beaches of Normandy to clear out the German artillery before the Allied Forces landed on Utah Beach. Easy Company fought at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. By the way, that’s how I remember where the Battle of the Bulge took place: “there’s a bulge in Belgium!” At one point First Lieutenant Spiers, to get a message to another company on the other side of a small town, runs through German lines, and through the town, and then back. One solider of Easy Company recalled, “The Germans were so shocked to see an American soldier running through their lines – they forgot to shoot!” Sometimes bravery is very close to bad judgment. But there was nothing easy about Easy Company; and that was their badge of honor.

            The book of Samuel recounts another great battle of insurmountable odds, of bravery bordering on bad judgment, and of one man who never took the easy way out. It’s the famous story of David versus Goliath, which has now become a cliché (an overused phrase). But the original event three thousand years ago was as inspiring as “Band of Brothers.” King Saul and the army of Israel faces the formidable forces of the Philistines, and their daunting champion, Goliath. But young David speaks up like First Lieutenant Spiers, and says to Saul, “Let your majesty not lose courage. I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.” We all know how the story ends when David stands triumphant over the fallen Philistine and cuts off his head with Goliath’s own sword. The Army paratroopers of Easy Company would have been happy to have David as part of their “band of brothers.” Why? Because David never took the easy way, he ironically fit perfectly in Easy Company. There’s nothing easy about Easy Company.

           You and I are constantly faced with the choice to do something hard or to take the easy way out. But I encourage you to choose the harder path for one reason. Only in doing what’s arduous and painful and exhausting will you find joy in your work, and feel pride in your accomplishments. One day, that, too, will be your badge of honor.

             It’s not easy attending a Catholic school like Trinity. We give you lots of homework, the teachers are demanding, your parents ask you why you don’t have all A’s on your report card because they’re paying tuition and they want more for their money! You have to pray in Latin, you wear uniforms instead of the latest fashions, boys cannot have long hair, you cannot use cell phones, and even your socks can only be certain colors! So you have a choice to make between the hard road of a Catholic school or the relatively easy path of a public school. But only if you stick it out here will you look back someday with pride and pleasure and say, “I survived Mr. Bruce’s history class!”  The fact that 98% of our students return year after year means that you, too, could belong to Easy Company, who never did anything easy.

               Another group of people that could belong to the “band of brothers” are Catholic school teachers. Any one of them could take an easier path with more pay by teaching in a public school. But they take the hard road and make sacrifices to stay here. What I most admire about our teachers is their tolerance and toughness with students who are not very “easy company”! But they refuse to take the easy road and expel you because your teachers love you, and they gladly take the arduous path. Sometimes, they may feel like First Lieutenant Spiers in some classes like they’re running through German lines! I hope you’re so shocked by their bravery that you forget to shoot. There’s nothing easy about Easy Company.

             Do you know where that phrase “band of brothers” originated? It’s taken from Shakespeare’s play called “Henry V” and a spell-binding speech King Henry gave before a decisive battle against the French. Again, the English are facing overwhelming odds, and the French are already congratulating themselves on their victory, like Goliath was gloating before fighting David.. But Henry V rouses his troops saying, “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; / For he who sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile/ This day shall gentle his condition” (Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3). Only those willing to shed their blood can belong to the band of brothers. There’s nothing easy about Easy Company.

Praised be Jesus Christ!