Catherine Holt
Fourth Sunday in Lent — 18 March 2012
Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21
The readings for Lent take us through a journey, following Jesus as he journeyed toward Jerusalem.
The Revd Dr Catherine Holt shared the story of the boy Pepino and his donkey Violetta, told by Paul Gallico in his 1951 book The Small Miracle. With dermination and faith, boy overcomes many obstacles so that, at the end of the story, he is able to take Violetta into the crypt of the Basilica of St Francis to seek the saint's healing for his beloved donkey.
"Thus", the last sentence of the book says, "the watchers saw boy and donkey silhouetted against the flickering oil lamps and altar candles of the crypt as they went forward to complete their pilgrimage of faith."
Katherine used the story as metaphor of our differing journeys through Lent towards the Lord Jesus Christ.