Faith Matters – The Donkey

Faith Matters – The Donkey

The end is drawing near! This will be the last Faith Matters I offer as my time as Liturgy Coordinator ends. This is the time of the year for ‘ends’ and the promise of new beginnings so let us explore these things together for a little while.

As our year concludes we enter into Advent and a new liturgical year in our church. There is so much excitement and anticipation as school draws to a close and Christmas comes ever close that at times it’s hard to truly value the present. It may be that we need to stop and enter into a period of contemplation if we are to draw profit from this moment. Let us take a moment to consider the end of the school year and Advent by reflecting upon donkeys!

Donkeys are amazing creatures but as a rule the image we have of them is incomplete and ignorant. Donkeys are supposedly stubborn and therefore problematic. Donkeys are in fact very intelligent and reliable animals. The reason a donkey is considered stubborn is because you can’t force it do to something that puts it in danger. Donkeys are strong an sure footed, they have an enormous amount of stamina and will keep on going long after a horse needs rest. Donkeys are smart creatures that will pick the best path to travel on and will avoid bumping or scraping into ledges or trees. Donkeys are loving and will bond with people or animals and protect them with ferocity and a variety of attacking techniques. Donkeys are truly amazing – but so often viewed one dimensionally.

In his autobiography, St Ignatius relates the following account about a donkey;

“Shortly after his conversion, the ex-soldier and courtier Ignatius was riding down a dusty road in Spain in the company of a Muslim Moor. They were discussing religion, and, not surprisingly, they disagreed on a few points. The Moor angrily ended the discussion and rode off. As a parting shot, he made some insulting remarks about the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Ignatius was outraged. He thought it might be his knightly duty to defend the honor of Mary by killing the Moor, but he wasn’t sure that would be consistent with his new faith. He left the decision up to the donkey he was riding. They were approaching a crossroads. If the donkey took the road that the Moor took, Ignatius would follow and kill him. If the beast took the other road, he would let him go. The donkey took the other road.”

The donkey is present as wise. It made the right choice and in humility Ignatius was shamed by his anger and lack of love. The donkey helped the crippled Ignatius complete his pilgrimage and in a way became his first companion. One who walks with and can be depended upon to become close to God the Father and act more like Jesus, the Son. Discernment by donkey is probably not the best method but for Ignatius at that point it helped him understand himself more clearly and gave him a great insight.

As we consider the humble donkey we of course think of the journey Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem. On the journey Mary is carried by a donkey as she is pregnant. This long journey is made safe by a dependable, loving creature that by nature will protect both itself and its rider. Surely this choice was intentional. A horse would not have made the journey and would have cost more than Joseph had and a camel is uncomfortable to ride and truly a cantankerous beast. In the stable the donkey was at home and comfortable as the Holy Family was. As a loving protector the donkey also fulfilled an essential role during those chaotic days of the census.

Throughout Jesus’ life we see Jesus ride a donkey into Jerusalem. As a King he enters with humility and grace. Knowing what is going to happen he reveals himself fully to the world – a servant king who suffers for his people and the world. Just like the donkey, the understanding the people had about Jesus was based more on what people wanted to believe than the truth.

As we journey throughout Advent take time to connect with the intention of the season. Be excited. Prepare for the coming of Jesus. Consider donkeys and how they, although a maligned creature, are important to ‘our’ story and are truly amazing animals. Maybe the season of giving will lead you to donate to a donkey sanctuary and redress some of the negativity our world has in regard to this beautiful creature.

Yours in faith,

Brendan Nicholls | Liturgy Coordinator