Another Cardinal Sean Story

Another parable that further illustrates the demands of the Great Commandment which contains the whole Law and the prophets.  The Japanese tell the story of a man who lived in a beautiful home on the top of a mountain.  Each day he took a walk in his garden and looked out at the sea below.  One day he spotted a tsunami on the horizon coming toward the shore and then he noticed a group of his neighbors having a picnic on the beach.  The man was anxious to warn his neighbors, he shouted and waved his arms.  But they were too far off, they could not hear nor see him.  So the man set fire to his house.  When the neighbors on the beach saw the smoke and flames some said let us climb the mountain to help our friend save his home.  Others said:  ‘That mountain is so high and we’re having such fun, you go.’  Well, the ones who climbed the mountain to save their neighbor’s home were themselves saved.  Those who remained on the beach having fun perished when the tidal wave hit the shore.



The Gospel of Christ is about love, sacrifice, forgiveness, hope and salvation.  The burning house on the top of the hill is the Cross, and it is the suffering of all those children who experienced abuse.  Climbing the mountain, we are not doing God a favor, we are saving our souls.


h/t to Cardinal Sean's Blog