A young woman is walking along the river near her village when she sees an old woman. She’s struck by the radiance of the old woman’s face – her eyes and smile reflect great tranquility and grace.

      The old woman is bent over some branches that stretch out into a fast flowing eddy. The old woman’s hand reaches into the branches and then suddenly she pulls her hand out. As the young woman moves closer, she sees what is happening. A spider has impaled itself on a thorn and the old woman is trying to free it, but every time she attempts to lift the spider off the thorn, the spider bites her. She removes her hand, sucks the poisonous blood from her finger and tries again.

      “Dear mother,” the young woman asks, “What foolishness is this? Leave the spider to its fate. Every time you try to help it, it repays you with a sharp bite.”

      The old woman smiles that radiant smile. “Child, it is the spider’s nature to bite. But mine is to save. Should I sacrifice the good I possess because of the spider’s viciousness?”

Comment:

This story mirrors that struggle to do good in the face of evil. Lent is a time to take a hard look at the Cross to rediscover hope and healing, to re-center our lives on doing good and remaining faithful and to grow into all we can become to make a difference.

Peace, fullness, and grace,

George Hanssen, Pastor