The Metaphor for Lent

March 11, 2008

Great Lent began this week for Orthodox Christians. Rue, doing-without for a bit, and application to difficulty -- turning into something wonderful.

This story will be related across the blogosphere soon, but it is irresistible as a metaphor.

As ChicagoBoyz puts it:

An American airman is shot down in 1943 over a remote Pacific island. The natives rescue him, hide him from the Japanese and nurse him back to health. He eventually returns home, marries and starts a family and career. Years later he returns to the island and renews his relationship with the natives. Back in the USA, he sets up a charity to help them. Over the course of many years he helps the natives to build a school, library, clinic, etc. The natives’ lives improve, and he gains a sense of purpose and accomplishment, to such an extent that he is grateful for the misfortune that initially brought him to the island.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me..." Never give up. Never. But we can't hurry it, either.