Vernon Howard tells the story of a weary traveler in his
tale The Magic Castle.
Walking down a
dark road, the man is surprised to see a marvelous castle before him. Across
its gate is a banner welcoming everyone. The traveler is glad to see this for
he is weary.
Passing through the open gate, a strange sight greets him. A
number of men and women walk toward the castle, but do not seem to see it.
Perplexed, he enters the castle and asks someone about the strange behavior of
the people outside.
The castle resident answers, “This is a magic castle. It
can be seen only by those who realize and admit that they are lost. Those who
pretend to know where they are going cannot see the castle. Your honesty in
admitting that you are weary and in in need of a shelter for the night made the
castle visible to you. Enter, for all its riches are now yours.”
Reflection:
We too are in a journey. There is no harm in
feeling confident that we know the way to our destination, but let us not
delude ourselves that we can get there on our own. It is only when we
acknowledge that we need God’s help that we will see the castle and the riches
that awaits us within.
