 We have all seen pelicans skimming the shore – beaks agape, scooping up startled fish in their rubbery pouches. But fishing is not always plentiful. And pelicans will do anything to feed their young – including offering their own flesh and blood when no other food can be found. Thus, the pelican symbolically mirrored Christ’s sacrifice for humanity. And so this amazing bird has been a symbol of self-sacrifice for people around the world since the early days of Christianity. This image is still used in modern times as a symbol for the Eucharist and the Passion of Christ. It is also the symbol used by many international blood drive efforts – offering hope to people worldwide.
We too may be called upon during our cancer journey to sacrifice a part of ourselves in order that the whole can survive. May we find the courage found in the pelican to keep our eye on what really matters: life. The scars will heal, the hair will grow back, our energy will return – all in due time. Our job right this minute is to survive. Like the pelican, we must find a way to live until this crisis passes. |
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