Pages

Monday, March 05, 2007

Frederick the Field Mouse

I added a photo to the sidebar of the cover of my favorite Children's book "Frederick the Field Mouse" by Leo Leonni. Rather than scurry about all summer gathering seeds and grain, Frederick gathers light, and colours, and birdsongs. The other mice are critical. As you can imagine, winter sets in, and its grim. As it wears on and the food runs out, the other field mice turn to him , whereupon he offers back to them the light and warmth of summer, the sound of long silenced birdsongs, and in doing so helps them to get through the dreariest part of winter.

Ministry is a bit like this, I think. Our society sometimes wonders what use ministers and priests are. We're called, I think, to remind the people around us in the grimmest, darkest parts of their lives that there is light, and music, and beauty, and love. Simplistic? Maybe. But I'm going to spend this summer gathering in the light, listening to nature, and storing up colours.

No comments: