Pages

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Minnows: A Parable

So this new job I have, it’s at a marina, which sells live minnows as bait. Maintaining these minnows involves cleaning the tanks in which they live, and replacing dirty water with clean. The cleaning process requires transferring them, with a net, from one tank to another so that the dirty tank can be cleaned. Of course, the minnows aren’t very happy with this process, and invariably, the fastest and strongest minnows are the last to be netted and transferred. What the minnows don’t realize, of course, is that if they are not moved, they will die; the dirty water will kill them. Of course, while they are being transferred, flopping in the net, out of the water for a second or two, they FEEL like they are dying, and if they are especially strong, sometimes they jump out of the net. If they fall back into the water, they’re fine, but often, when they jump out of the net, some will land on the floor or ground, and lie there in agony, flopping around, gasping for the oxygen they cannot assimilate while being out of the water. The ones I miss, or don't get to fast enough, they really do die.

Let the reader understand.

3 comments:

Ttony said...

It certainly beats sermons in stone!

I'd let this one stew for a few weeks: there is an obvious analogy about jesus, and an only slightly less obvious one about the priest. But there is one about "sentient minnows" which might be worth a while of reflection to get right: why those who seem the strongest and supplest will end up dead, while those who are weak will find life.

And I'm not a priest and I don't even work in a pet shop!

FrGregACCA said...

A marina, actually, a place on a lakeshore to buy fishing supplies, among other things.

In this case, it's pretty much all about the minnows.

As St. Paul writes, "When I am weak, then I am strong."

IOW, if you're a fish out of water, stay in the net!

Alice C. Linsley said...

A wonderful parable, Father. I'm going to link to this at Student Publish Here. I'm doing Parables these days. your timing was perfect!