Cyber Gleanings, April, 2006:

Dear People of St. John’s,

A boy of elementary school age lived with his grandmother.  One night the house caught fire while the boy lay asleep upstairs.  The grandmother was overcome with smoke.  A crowd quickly gathered about the burning house.  The boy’s screams could be heard above the crackling of the blaze.  The front of the house was a mass of flames and it appeared there was no way to rescue the boy.

As the people stood watching, a stranger rushed through the crowd and circled to the back of the house where he saw an iron pipe attached to the house that extended to the second floor.  Hand over hand, he climbed the hot pipe, reached the upstairs window, disappeared for a few moments, and then reappeared with the boy in his arms.  Amidst the cheers of the crowd, he climbed down that hot pipe as the boy hung around his neck.

Weeks later a public hearing was held in the town hall to determine in whose custody the now-orphaned boy would be placed.  A farmer in the community spoke first and said, “I have a large farm.  Every boy needs the wide-open spaces.”   A woman said, “I’m a teacher.  I have a big library.  The boy would receive a good education with me.”  Others came forward to state why the boy should be given to them.  Finally, the richest man in town spoke and said, “I’m wealthy.  I could give the boy everything.  I would like him to live in our spacious house.”

The chairman asked, “Anyone else like to say a word?”  From the rear of the room rose a stranger who had slipped unnoticed into the hall.  As he walked toward the front with his hands in his pockets, deep suffering showed on his face.  Reaching the front, he stood directly in front of the boy who custody was being decided.  Slowly the stranger removed his hands from his pockets.  An audible gasp was heard throughout the room.  The boy’s eyes had been focused on the floor, but now he looked up.  The man’s hands were scarred terribly.  Suddenly the boy uttered a cry of recognition.  Here was the very man who had saved his life.  His hands were scarred from climbing up and down the hot pipe.  With a leap the boy threw himself around the stranger’s neck and held on with both hands.  Slowly the crowd dispersed, leaving the boy with the one who had won him without a word.  The scars spoke far more than words could convey.

It really is not such a stretch of the imagination to say that Lent, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday are intended to help us arrive at Easter and throw our arms around the neck of the Risen Lord and hang on for dear life.  We may give ourselves to any number of rescuers in this world but only one will never let us down.  We will proclaim that One again this Easter with the most glorious shout ever to be given, “Alleluia!  Christ is risen.  The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia!”

                                                                      Peace,

                                                           Tom