Behind the Maltese Cross

I look out my kitchen window and I see my grandsons hard at play. They are pretending they are knights of an unknown order, on a quest to conquer a fire breathing dragon. Wielding wooden swords, they charge into the wooded area surrounding the yard, heedless of mosquitoes, poison ivy and thorny bushes. No obstacle will prevent them from their grail.

I chose the name for my book Behind the Maltese Cross long before it was finished. Early in this writing journey, the chief of Holyoke Fire Department explained to me who the knights of Malta were and why a Maltese cross is often used on a firefighter’s badge. The virtues displayed by the knights of Malta- loyalty, bravery, generosity, honor, respect, truth, service to the sick, and contempt for death- are the code of conduct adopted by the fire service. The badge- the image of a Maltese cross- is worn over the heart.

Does every firefighter adhere to this code at all times? Nope. Firefighters are regular people- men and women who, just like the rest of us, sometimes fall short of these ideals.  And everywhere we turn, we see these moral failures. In the news, on the TV, in social media- we see the video after video of people at their worst. They scream. They swear. They call each other names that we dare not repeat. They are celebrities. They are pundits. They are world leaders and politicians. They are our neighbors. And it’s easy to think “If they can act that way, so can I.”

But a principled life is about striving: endeavoring to do what is right. Setting goals, however lofty, and trying to attain them. Living an honorable life and not allowing circumstances or the actions of other people drag us into an abyss of selfishness and disregard for our fellow beings. 

In my upcoming book you will meet modern day knights of Malta- men and women who voluntarily and selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to protect lives and property. They are true heroes- ordinary people who do extraordinary things.  And while we all aren’t cut out to be firefighters, we can all strive to adopt the same values- loyalty, bravery, generosity, honor, respect, truth, service to the sick, and contempt for death, perhaps becoming our own knights of an unknown order. 

Garrie Madison Stoutimore

Author, Behind the Maltese Cross