“...a dog who remains beside us”
The following is my favorite passage from Shusaku Endo’s The Samurai:
“I’ve always believed that I became a Christian as a mere formality. That feeling hasn’t changed at all. But since I’ve learned something about Government, sometimes I find myself thinking about that man. I think I understand why every house in those countries has a pathetic statue of that man. I suppose that somewhere in the hearts of men, there’s a yearning for someone who will be with you throughout your life, someone who will never betray you, never leave you—even if that someone is just a sick, mangy dog. That man became just such a miserable dog for the sake of mankind.“ The samurai repeated the words almost to himself. “Yes, that man became a dog who remains beside us. That’s what that Japanese fellow at the Tecali swamp wrote. That when he was on the earth, he said to his disciples that he came into the world to minister unto men.“
Comments
Max
April 14, 2008 1:41amI actually didnt understood but I think the Japanese thought about dog is nice one.
neil
April 14, 2008 8:44amShusako Endo… always on my radar but never read. I should, I think, after reading this quote. Good one.
Christ did come just like this, to become the “least of these” so that the least of us — that is all of us, for if I consider myself greater than the least, I am deceived — may have hope. But thank God He doesn’t stop at that, remaining beside us here where we are. He’s the great physician, restoring us to health, that is, wholeness, so that we may be restored to our true selves, images of Him.
Good news for samurais and everyone else.
Matt Ralph
April 18, 2008 11:06amI had to dog sit recently and not being a dog lover, it got old real fast. The dog simply would not leave me alone, following me everywhere I went.
Kind of like those red letters in the Bible.