This day on the calendar is one that brings to mind some powerful men in ancient, medieval, and current day history. As is human nature, the ones who are most heralded are those who built empires, because of their relentless quest for winning or conquering their adversaries. Today in 100 B. C. Julius Caesar, dictator of the Roman Republic and first Caesar of the Roman Empire, was born. Extant documents from historians like Strabo, Diodorus, Josephus, Tacticus, Suetonius, and Plutarch herald his adventures and atrocities leading him to worldwide and historical prominence. Those who came after him took the title of Caesar because of the example he set.
Recently, (2010) newspapers across America heralded the death of another empire builder. George Steinbrenner was owner of the New York Yankees, the most successful sports franchise of all time. Purchased for a mere $10,000,000 in the 1970’s, it is now worth billions. Whether you are a Yankee fan or not, he spent whatever it took to obtain the best players and instilled a mindset that anything less than 1st place was failure. He did whatever was necessary to build on the storied franchise he purchased. He was labeled “The Boss” because of his intolerance for anything less than a World Series title. His relentless commitment to success earned him a place in sports history and respect from those whose focus was winning.
Our Medieval entry is Henry II an Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire who is assigned today for celebration of his memory. He is the only Roman emperor who has been canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church. Henry protected the church by insuring public land and offices he granted the church would not be passed on to heirs. This act provided a powerful bulwark against rebellious nobles and ambitious family members allowing the faithful to serve the church. His most significant contributions as emperor came in the realm of church-state relations, ecclesiastic administration as well as advocating Church reform. Henry and his wife (Cunigunde) were so committed to their beliefs that they had no children because they had both taken a mutual vow of chastity.
Building empires is not something all of us are called to do. Each of us are called to build a legacy of our life’s meaning while we are here. Each of us is evaluated on how we built or participated in the development of God’s Kingdom. Two of our examples chose to build earthly empires – one has long since disappeared, while we cannot see the future of the one at present. The third individual had an empire placed at his feet, but chose to focus his attention on eternal rewards instead of just earthly ones. He understood Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” There are many faults we can uncover about Henry. However, what we cannot change about him was his commitment to the eternal. Our choice is much like his. We can go for the temporary or eternal rewards of life on earth or eternal life.
Love Dad