Chivalry is Never Dead

By: Missionary Team

The phrase, “chivalry is dead”, is something that we have all heard before, but one that most people, especially men, hardly ever dwell on. It truly is a saying that even I take for granted, never really prying into the power of those words. But what does “chivalry is dead” really mean, what importance does it hold now? For the longest time, I always assumed that chivalry meant a code that knights from stories like King Arthur and The Knights of The Round Table followed, but I foolishly thought that it was about little more than how to look stoic in a suit of armor and how to carry a big sword. After so much needed maturity, I came to discover that chivalry is more than knights, and is actually a way for men to live with dignity, giving of themselves selflessly to serve others.

Of the several definitions given in Webster’s dictionary on chivalry, they all point back to how it is living with a spirit of courtesy and distinguishment. Now by this definition, I don’t mean men need to be walking around dressed up in a tuxedo and talking in a fancy accent, but rather willing to help others in need with a strong sense of professionalism. But how does one serve others in a well-put-together manner? Easy, in little ways! It could be opening up the door for someone, carrying someone’s bags, or even all the way down to asking someone how their day is going. There are always big things that we can do for others, but it is much easier and way more efficient to help others with the small things in life.

So, at this point, chivalry may seem like nothing more than being a “good Samaritan” to your neighbor, and I can gladly inform you all that there is much more to learn (I’m looking at you, my fellow gentlemen in the audience). Men, if you like it or not, a big factor of chivalry is in service to women. And I don’t mean we should become slaves to the female gender, but we should help and treat them with great dignity. Again you are all probably asking, why? Why must we serve women so much, they got cooties and estrogen! Firstly, as men, we need to grow up, and secondly, we need to look at the insurmountable amount of prestige God has given women. Men were created from dust, dirt, and slime, and how disgusting is that? But God breathed into it, forming beauty creating Adam, and from that beauty, he made Woman. Think about it, men were formed from the soil of the earth, but women were formed from beauty. If that idea doesn’t sink in, always remember that God also appointed the Blessed Mother, A WOMAN, as the QUEEN of heaven and earth. He could have always chosen another dude to be the king of heaven and earth, but he ultimately decided that position belonged to a woman.

Now that we know the importance of women in our lives, how can we serve them better? I believe that St. Paul puts it best in Ephesians 5:25-33: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ..." In all honesty, I doubt I could put it any better, and we should all strive to treat our spouses as Christ treats His Church, with bottomless amounts of love! And we should extend the same amount of love and care for ourselves to every man and woman we meet in our everyday lives.

After reading this, I hope you all have been opened to the real message of chivalry, and how it is so much more than swords, armor, and riding on horseback. In essence, it is serving others selflessly and with respect. Additionally, another one of its focuses is to serve women, but with utmost dignity, as every one of them is a precious princess. And the reasoning at the end of why we all, especially men, should be giving ourselves to help others is because we are protecting God’s beautiful creation of man and woman. So, go out! and act with chivalry today!