St George – martyr
Feast day: April 23
Patronage: knights, soldiers, scouts, fencers, archers
Many a fairy tale tells of dragons and princesses, most likely based on the legend of St George.
The real story goes like this:
Long, long, ago, in Selem, Libya, a frightening dragon lived in a lake. To keep this dragon at bay, the townsfolk would sacrifice their sheep to it, but later, they began to select children at random to sacrifice. One day, the king’s daughter was chosen, but while she was being led to the lake, St George killed the dragon, saving the princess, and freeing the city from the tyranny of the dragon forever!
Though our imaginings of fire-breathing dragons may not be accurate (it was probably more like a crocodile living in that lake), this tale echoes the victory of Christ over sin and death – in the battle of Good and Evil, Good always wins out in the end.
This is truly an inspiring story. But why?
Tales of courage and bravery openly appeal to our desire to help others. As Christians, we are called to be in relationship with others, and how we do that matters! It’s up to each of us to choose whether or not we want to help others reach their ultimate good: life with Jesus!
I think the story of St George can be used to teach little girls and boys of their duty to protect those who are weaker and more vulnerable than themselves and their capacity to play a role in bringing about the triumph of Good over Evil.
Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!
Mom Things Through Christ 