Dragons, Princesses and Heroes

Today’s 23^rd April – St George’s day. In the legend of St George, a fire-breathing dragon terrorises a village. The villagers sacrifice their sheep to the dragon. Running out of sheep they sacrifice their children. They’re about to sacrifice the princess. George defeats the dragon and saves the village.

Dragons speak of powerful evil forces outside our control. We see international dragons of war, famine and pollution; there are political systems intent on destruction. Closer to home there’s corruption, violence, injustice…

Some friends have their own dragons or demons – anxiety and stress, failed relationships, guilt about a past they can’t change, fears about a future that they can’t influence.

The legend warns us against accepting the dragons, appeasing them by making sacrifices to them.

Princesses speak of powerless innocent victims. On our TV screens we see injured civilians maimed by bombings… starving refugees – homeless, helpless, hopeless… families torn apart by conflict, epidemic, earthquake, flood.

Locally we see innocent victims – children without love or guidance, elderly folks forgotten in care homes, minority groups sidelined by prejudice and misunderstanding, the weak and voiceless chained to ineffective and inefficient systems.

The legend reminds us that innocent victims are princesses…

St George speaks of a power that is greater than the evil dragons, rescuing innocent princesses, releasing villages from terrorising powers. It’s the old story of good defeating evil, light at the end of the darkest tunnel…

Many friends would go straight to a Christian application – the Easter message of Jesus conquering sin and death; our involvement in Christian warfare – ‘Onward Christian soldiers…’ I’ve done that; I have that t-shirt.

…The story has two different endings. In one version St George kills the dragon. In the other the dragon changes; the princess leads a transformed, tame dragon back into the village and they all live happily ever after.

This morning I’m praying for wisdom to know which dragons should be killed and which can be tamed – and then the courage to take appropriate action.