398 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 3 MAY 2022
More wrote some of his most moving spiritual works while imprisoned
in the Tower of London. His last book, The Sadness of Christ, is a powerful
reflection on the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. More, living
his own agony prior to his own execution, must have seen this project as a
way to unite himself more closely to Christ. The result is a brilliant spiritual
treatise on prayer, courage, friendship, statesmanship and many other topics.
On perseverance, More imagined what Jesus might say to a person who
is suffering in this world:
To such a person as this, Christ wanted his own deed to speak out (as it
were) with his own living voice: “O faint of heart, take courage and do not
despair. You are afraid, you are sad, you are stricken with weariness and
dread of the torment with which you have been cruelly threatened. Trust
me. I conquered the world, and yet I suffered immeasurably more from
fear, I was sadder, more afflicted with weariness, more horrified at the
prospect of such cruel suffering drawing eagerly nearer and nearer. Let the
brave man have his high-spirited martyrs, let him rejoice in imitating a
thousand of them. But you, my timorous and feeble little sheep, be content
to have me alone as your shepherd, follow my leadership; if you do not
trust yourself, place your trust in me. … For the sufferings of this time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory to come which will be revealed
in you. As you reflect on such things, take heart and use the sign of my
cross to drive away this dread, this sadness, fear and weariness like vain
specters of the darkness. Advance successfully and press through all obstacles,
firmly confident that I will champion your cause until you are victorious
and then in turn will reward you with the laurel crown of victory.”9
Practising what he preached, More maintained a supernatural outlook
even in his darkest moments. When sentenced to death, he said this to the
judges who sentenced him:
In this world there will ever be discord and variety of opinion. But I trust
that as Paul persecuted Stephen even to death yet both are now united in
heaven, we too who are now at variance in this world and differ in our
opinions may be one in heart and mind for ever in the world to come. In
this hope I pray to God to preserve you all, and especially my Lord the
King and to deign always to send him faithful counsellors.10
Nearly 500 years after his death, there remains much for lawyers to learn
from More. Integrity is described as the “fundamental quality of any person
who seeks to practise as a member of the legal profession”.11 Whether you agree
or disagree with More’s convictions, there is no room for saying that he lacked
integrity. His life reminds all lawyers to pursue truth, justice and righteousness—
not just in their professional activities, but in all dimensions of their life.
This approach benefits not only the individual, but society at large. In A
Man for All Seasons, speaking of public officials who betray their private
conscience, More said that they “lead their country by a short route to
chaos”.12 The core idea embedded in this statement, that dividing oneself