The Miserable Glorious Donkey

The Tale of the Miserable Glorious Donkey

We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what’s enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the longer we become” (Romans 8:25).

We continue to shout our praises even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate p[patience in us and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do net” (Romans 5:3-4)

A story is told about a pitiful donkey that one day fell into an open well. The donkey was merely traipsing about as was its routine until one hoof connected with a large stone, and tumble after tumble it landed in a deep well.

When his master, the farmer, came upon the downtrodden creature held captive in the well’s mouth, he tried immediately to free him, but after numerous hours without success, he decided to call his neighbors and friends for additional assistance in the hopes of freeing the miserable unfortunate creatures, all without success.,

Seeing that the donkey was old and almost infirm, he reckoned that making the well his tomb was his only option. He could always get another donkey and dig another well, but another back, one simply couldn’t get.  So he now decided to enlist the help of his neighbors and friends as cohorts in the sad burial and funeral of the poor animal.

After hours of listening to it piteous moans and braying, it seemed cruel not to put the animal out of its torturous existence. So, one by one, shovels of dirt fell upon the broken animal’s back. At first, the creature knew not what to make of the earth landing in clods and lumps upon it, but soon realized that the dirt was meant to harm, not, help its estate.

Brought back to his senses, the donkey began to shake the dirt from its dusty coat.  Still, more and more gravel landed upon its already injured body and soiled his coat. This too, it shook off again and again. Bit by bit the dirt began to fill the well, and with each shovel-full, the donkey would take a step up and closer to the well’s mouth. Eventually, he emerged triumphant from his make-shift tomb while the stupefied neighbors and his master shook their heads in utter disbelief.

I fully understand and commiserate with the plight of that donkey. I admit that at times I must shake off disappointments and disillusionments hourly, certainly, every day like the donkey.  Yet, like the donkey, I refuse to give up, to merely play dead and roll over. Life will attempt to suffocate you with deferred dreams, broken promises, and failed and relationships and commitments. It is up to us to shake of the fistful of debris, even when the next second, your back is once again covered in grime. It becomes wearying, but shake we must if we are not to be overwhelmed with despair and simply collapse under the weight of disappointments.

 

Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things- with resignation, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope- Corazon Aquino

 

Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken form you- Oscar Wilde