Calvary as Life

   The French writer Georges Simenon, known for his Inspector Maigret stories, wrote that "We're all failures, because we all die". Raised with the American faith that good work, fairness, rooting for the underdog would all lead towards a decent life, I only discovered gradually the opposite way, the life of Calvary, the way to the Cross accompanying the crucified & risen Christ. Life can only be a continual Passion, or it is not life, but only a sort of well-dressed, well-fed Death. Our society can only tell tales now about Death, in video games and in stories about war, murder, forensic detective work. "Whoever would save his life shall lose it, whoever loses his life for my sake shall preserve it alive."