Today, I am thankful for those who epitomize the virtue of leniency in times of need.
When I was just a small boy of eleven years, the Kartsonis family visited my father’s secluded village in the Peloponnesus, in the southern part of Greece. After a 4-hour precarious ride along ragged roads, we reached our final destination, a small cropping of stone homes surrounding a quaint square where an old Byzantine Church has stood since the 14th Century. The historic Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Apostles is the crown jewel of the town of Leontarion, or the ‘lion-like’ village. The village is so named after a large rocky cliff, upon which the Castle of Leontarion once stood. When I inquired of my father why the village was named after the largest cat, he informed me that the façade of the rocky precipice overlooking the town resembles the gentle facial features of a pleasant lion. At the time the village was founded, lions still roamed the Greek countryside, only to disappear from the European continent circa 1000 AD.
Perhaps this is why Aesop, the great Greek storyteller and fabulist, chose to glorify the lion in his famous tale about The Lion and the Mouse. If you might recall from your kindergarten days, the short parable tells the narrative of a fierce lion and a meek mouse that had curiously entered his lair. Awaking from his sleep, the irate lion violently grabbed the mouse in its claws and licked his watering lips in anticipation of a scrumptious afternoon snack. However, the mouse pleaded for his life, promising the aggrieved lion that he would repay the favor by rescuing the large cat in his most dire time of need. Amused by this most preposterous suggestion, the lion kindly granted the mouse some leniency. He released the mouse from his deathly grasp and then immediately resumed his midday slumber. Well, as fate might allow it, ruthless hunters confronted and trapped the lion a few days later. Despite his desperate attempts to escape, he could not release himself, as he roared helplessly from underneath the ropes that enveloped his body. Upon hearing his desperate bellows, the same tiny mouse came to his rescue. Using his sharp incisors, the tiny animal slowly nibbled through the twine until the lion was finally freed from his imprisonment. The lion expressed sincere gratitude to his new-fangled companion, and the mouse and lion remained the best of friends for the rest of their days.
The moral of Aesop’s story is clear: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
The story reminds me of another famous event of feline leniency that has an interesting connection to today. In 1643, Sir John Gayer, the revered Lord Mayor of London, was also serving as the acting governor of the East India Company. While on a trade expedition to modern-day Syria, he somehow became separated from his caravan. Alone in the dark desert, he was stalked by a lion for several miles. Recognizing ultimate escape from the beast was futile, he fell exhaustingly into the sand. As a last desperate act, he climbed to his knees, bowed his head, and offered a prayer, beseeching the Lord to grant his reprieve. The next morning, his caravan found Sir John safe and secured, asleep in the sand, with massive lion footprints surrounding his outstretched body. The lenient lion had decided to leave the Londoner to his sleep. Upon returning to his post in London, Sir John set aside a significant portion of his accumulated wealth to provide charitable alms to the poor. He also developed a pact with the ancient church of St. Katharine Cree to preach the ‘Lion Sermon’ every year, wherein some descendant of this family would espouse the virtues of kindness, gentleness, and leniency. Every year since 1643 on this exact day (Oct 16), the Anglican Church has followed this annual mission to preach a sermon on the ‘challenges of faith’.
Today, this awe-inspiring church on Leadenhall Street, first erected in 1280 AD and rebuilt in 1631, has miraculously survived, despite having no formal parish. Situated in the heart of London, St. Katharine Cree is now the Guild Church to Finance, Commerce, and Industry. Amazingly, this Anglican house of prayer was the only religious edifice to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666, just 23 years after it became known for the Lion Sermon. Similarly, the Church has survived other catastrophes, including the German bombing blitzkrieg of 1940 and the Baltic Exchange Bombing of 1992. In other words, the Church has stood for nearly 400 years, unscathed by the hostility around it.
The Fates have been lenient to both the Church of the Holy Apostles in Leontarion and St. Katharine Cree in London, perhaps because their lenient lion protectorates somehow protect them. Today, at 13:00, another Lion Sermon will be delivered reminding us as to how Sir John Gayor survived a marauding lion in the deserts of Syria. Similarly, somewhere in southern Greece, some mother will also read Aesop’s fable about The Lion and The Mouse to her wide-eyed child. Both stories will preach the humble lessons of ‘paying it forward’ to those in need.
Having the ‘heart of the lion’ does not signify one’s weakness. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Such a trait exemplifies one’s true inner strength and powerful influence on those around them. As you face your day, may you never forget to demonstrate some leniency, no matter how small, to those more vulnerable than yourself.
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