"The best way to understand the word submission, because it has such a negative connotation for us Americans, is simply the word support. To submit in Latin is to be sent under, to stand under-to under-stand. To submit to another is to understand another."(R.Rohr "Radical Grace" p. 236)
Having spent some "quality time" in the quasi-macho world of the high school locker room, I understand where the negative connotation of submission comes from. It implies weakness. It implies crying "uncle in a game of mercy." It implies quitting, losing, etc. There can be no chest thumping in submission.
But support is something most of us can resonate with. We know how to support our friends and family. We're told to support our government and the troops. We know how to support the organizations that we choose to belong to.
I do know how to submit to my wife, because I try to support her as she lives out her life. I know how to submit to my kids, because I try to support them, in growing up to be individuals who can live in a world without me doing everything. I can submit to the government, because I can support through my voting, a direction. To submit will never mean to not question, but at least try to stay informed as to why a decision is made whether I agree with it or not.
Submitting should never be losing site of who I am in the bigger picture, it does mean reminding myself that I'm not the only one that matters.
Blessings,
Ed
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