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Before I forget...
· I never ask God to give me anything; I only ask God to put me where things are.
-Mexican proverb
· He/ she that gives should never remember, she/he that receives should never forget.
-The Talmud
Maybe you've heard the following story before, but it merits repetition.
Some years ago, an American research center conducted and experiment with walleyed pike. They placed this fish in an aquarium and fed it regularly. There, after a time, they inserted an invisible glass plate into the aquarium, sealing off part of it. They began to put the walleye's food on the other side of that plate. Every time the fish tried to take some food, it would bump against the glass plate and come away empty.
For quite a while the fish kept trying, swimming up, attempting to take food, bumping its mouth, coming away empty. Eventually, the walleyed pike just stopped trying. It would swim toward the food, but just before striking the glass it would turn and swim slowly away.
At this point, the researchers removed the glass plate. But the damage had been done. The fish never ate again. No amount of hunger could drive it to attempt again to eat.
It would swim up to the food and at the last second turn away, not knowing the glass plate was gone and that it could eat freely. The walleye eventually died of malnutrition--surrounded by food.
This story is not meant to be a sentimental anecdote to make us feel sorry for the fish that was a victim to the cruelties of human experiment (though some of us who are Irish could feel a tug at our heart strings). The story is really a parable for our times. It speaks to our soul, the very depth of our being. It doesn't have to be explained, only felt.
In a way, many of us can die of malnutrition of the heart and soul. Why are people starving for love when love is all around us? Why are we afraid to love or to allow ourselves to be loved? Most of us are "damaged goods" as a result of living life. When we are damaged, we often become hardened. Our pride has been wounded and maybe we are afraid of allowing ourselves to be soft and gentle with others.
Allow the story to speak to your soul. We need "soul stories" for our souls. Too often we believe that everything has to be analyzed in order to explain why we are sad depressed, dysfunctional and afraid to risk love. Life, especially for the life of the soul, needs more than a clinical approach.
Sometimes the soul just needs to weep. And that is a perfectly good thing to do. What does the story of the walleye say to your soul?
Fr. Bill
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