Once upon a time, not so long ago, there were three little pigs. These pigs were very happy and they very much enjoyed their lives. That was until a big bad wolf moved into town. This big bad wolf was a fine sort of fellow. However, he happened to have a strong taste for ham, bacon and pork chops. This was something that caused more than a little bit of consternation on the part of the pigs. They ultimately decided that they needed to take some action. It was decided that they would each build a house to protect themselves from the ravenous tendencies of this big bad wolf.
The first pig, named Ham, decided that he was going to build a house made out of dried grass. It took him only a few hours to put the finishing touches on his little grass hut. Then he went out to meet some friends for a movie and dinner at the local café.
Pig number two, — his name was Bacon – decided that he would build a house, too. He didn’t think much of Ham’s hut. He thought that the grass might just as well blow away in the wind as protect Ham from any potential dangers. So, Bacon spent an entire day building his hut out of sticks and twigs. After he had finished his work, he stepped back, admired his hut and then met with the guys for soccer practice and pizza.
Pig number three, so-called Pork Chop—was not at all impressed with the huts of his fellow pigs. He took days and days, in fact a number of weeks, to build his house of stone. This meant that he was not quite free to take part in social dinners, soccer games and many other events that certainly gave him much joy—but would further delay the construction of a safe home. He did this work in all kinds of weather and not without many sneers and comments by Ham and Bacon:
“You are working too hard. Why don’t you take a break and join us for a couple of hours at the corner bar?”
“Why are you so interested in making such a strong and sturdy house? You don’t need that kind of security now. Perhaps you will never need it in the future.”
“Come with us. Drink, eat and be merry.”
Despite all of these comments, Pork Chop kept up his efforts and finally completed a well built and secure home.
A few days later, the big bad wolf strolled into the pigs’ neck of the woods. He came to Ham’s house and developed a strong hunger for pork. He knocked on the door, but Ham would not let him enter. So, the wolf kept knocking. He told Ham to open the door or he would huff. And he would puff, until he blew the house down. And, alas, that is exactly what he did. The house blew apart and Ham hightailed it to Bacon’s home.
The big bad wolf followed. He knocked on Bacon’s door and told Bacon to open that door or he would huff and he would puff and he would blow the house down. Well, the big bad wolf huffed and he puffed and he blew that house down. He watched as Ham and Bacon fled to the sturdy stone home of Pork Chop.
The big bad wolf did follow. He did knock on Pork Chop’s door. He did huff. He did puff. But he could not blow down the sturdy strong home of Pork Chop. So, he left and the three little pigs lived happily ever after in the sturdy stone home of Pork Chop.
You might certainly think it strange that I would retell the story of the Three Little Pigs as part of my reflection. Yet, this children’s story reminds me of many of the Gospel stories Jesus told in His day. The stories teach us of the need to build our lives on a strong foundation of faith so that we can withstand the dangers and troubles we will certainly experience in life.
What was true, then, in the time of Jesus, continues to be true today:
-in the stories and lore that we tell our children;
-in the straw huts and tin homes of India which were destroyed most recently by the terrible storm;
-in the houses built on hills which dissolve to mud slides following heavy rainstorms;
-in the trailers that are swept away in the mid-west during tornadoes or the Florida coastland during hurricanes;
-in our own lives and the lives of those we love when we fail to place Christ front and center in our heart and daily lives.
So, how do we build a house of faith based upon the strong foundation of Christ?
First of all, it takes time. This means sacrifice. It means that we prioritize our need to learn about, love and live for Jesus and then place the other items and duties upon our calendar. Jesus needs to be the central point of our lives. The hub. There is nothing wrong with our other activities. But they must come second and they must also and still be flavored and inspired by our love for and faith in Jesus.
It takes foresight to recognize that problems will come. Jesus never promised us a rose garden. He, instead, promised us a cross. We need to recognize and pick up that cross willingly. We need to be strengthened by prayer and commitment so that we can weather any storm – most especially the cross that is our own.
It takes the rock of objective truth—- not just what we personally believe. No matter how strongly we might hold a particular opinion, the Truth of God must anchor our thoughts, form our spirituality and even determine the opinions that we do hold.
It takes community to work together. This is perhaps the one major flaw within the story of the Three Little Pigs. No one person can lift a heavy stone by him or herself. It takes the help of another individual or a group of people. The many stories of barn buildings which are common in the Amish and Quaker heritage come to mind. People need the help of other people to build their homes. We each need the help and community of other people to lift and appreciate the stones of faith. Certainly our personal prayers are important and necessary aspects of our spirituality. Yet, our prayers joined with others in the ritual of the Mass and the love which arises from that communal celebration, are what establish the foundation – the cellar — of our dwelling.
It takes love – to see beyond our own selfish needs and to help those around us to develop their personal faith lives and to build their foundations. We do this through serving in our Church ministries, by being present to those who are lonely, by supporting our Church so that the Church itself can continue to meet the needs of all who come and seek the shelter of faith.
It takes compassion. The behavior of Pork Chop the pig is pretty impressive here. When danger came, he opened up his sturdy stone home to Bacon and Ham even though they had made fun of his efforts in the past. We too, who have taken the effort to build a foundation of faith, must also always be open to welcome and take in those who have not been able, for whatever reason, to have built up that foundation in the past. It is only upon extending welcome that we can often encourage others to see the need and desire for that same relationship with Christ.
It takes trust to know, that even in our storms and darkest nights, Jesus is present with us. He is suffering with us and holding us close to His heart as we bear our cross and suffer the pangs of the world.
Finally, it takes hope. For we know that this is not our final and forever home. We hope for the Kingdom of God and our own personal and intended dwelling promised to us by Christ Himself.
My prayer for all of us is that we will continue to build strong houses of faith, secure in the promises and love of our Lord, sure to withstand our storms, open to the welcome of others seeking that same security and, sheltered in the arms of Jesus.
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