The English writer and theologian G.K. Chesterton once said that fairy tales are important, not because they teach us that dragons are real, but that dragons can be defeated. As we grow older and take on more responsibilities, we can begin to lose some of the child-like innocence and hope we had when we are younger. The lives of the saints can sometimes feel like a fairy tale because we always read about how they triumph over evil seemingly without any effort. However, as G.K. Chesterton points out using the dragon as a symbol, we don’t really need to read about sin to know that it exists because we already experience it. Instead, St. George shows us that the dragons in our life can be overcome, but only through God’s grace!
George was born around 280 A.D. in Lydda (located in present-day Israel) and raised in a Christian family. His mother was a native of the land while his father was a high-ranking officer in the Roman army. George’s parents died when he was a teenager and went to join the Roman army when he was seventeen under Emperor Diocletian (the same emperor who had Sebastian killed). He was promoted as part of the imperial guard when he was in his twenties due to his chivalry and discipline.
The famous story of George and the dragon begins with a dragon which made a nest at a huge spring that provided water to Silene (located in present-day Libya). The people of the town were unable to get water as a result and they bribed the dragon by offering a sheep a day for it to leave it’s nest. This plan worked for a short while until they ran out of sheep. The townsfolk got together and decided to send young women as an offering instead. They decided this by drawing straws and one day the princess’ straw was drawn. The king begged the people to spare her, but they refused because they were desperate to survive. As the princess was being offered to the dragon, George came to the rescue! He had heard the town’s troubles from a hermit and moved to fight the dragon. Before entering into combat, he protected himself by making the sign of the cross and he killed the dragon with his lance. The king was so grateful that he wanted to give George half of his kingdom as payment, but George refused. Instead, he asked that the king protect Christian churches, honor the clergy, and give alms to the poor. Inspired by George’s behavior, the people of the town were baptized and converted from paganism to Christianity.
In 303 A.D., Emperor Diocletian officially declared that every Christian the Roman army passed would be arrested. In addition, every soldier was required to regularly make sacrifices to the Roman gods. George refused to follow those orders as a devout Christian, but luckily for him, his father was one of the Emperor’s finest soldiers. The Emperor chose to ignore this to honor the memory of his old friend. However, when George began to publicly oppose the Emperor’s decree, the Emperor was unable to ignore this. Even then, the Emperor tried to bribe him by offering land, money, and resources among other things. Yet, George still refused and his public act of courage inspired his fellow soldiers to convert. Left with no other option, Emperor Diocletian had George condemned to death. Before he was arrested, George prepared himself by giving all of his money and property to the poor. While in custody, he was repeatedly and cruelly tortured, but not once did he renounce God. George was decapitated on April 23, 303 A.D.
We may not live in the time of knights and chivalry, but here are some things we can learn from the famous dragon slayer which could help us in our faith journey:
Pray before you act. While it is unlikely that we will come across a large fire-breathing lizard in our travels, prayer can help safeguard our souls against temptation and sin. It can be easy for us to involve God in our life if we’re having a hard time or after we finish making our own plans. However, if we pray before we make plans or decisions, we are forming the important habit of putting God first and foremost in our life. If God is our anchor, it makes it a lot more difficult for the bad spirits to lead us astray.
Be chivalrous. A major point of chivalry is to use your strength and influence to protect others. It would have been easy for St. George to accept the King of Silene’s gift, which would have significantly enriched him enough to retire as a soldier and become a lord. However, he did something even better by ensuring the protection of Christian clergy in the area. He inspired the people of the town to convert and he also ensured that they may grow deeper in their faith and have the support of their community by preserving the churches. When we receive blessings from God, do not waste the opportunity to share it with others. Be chivalrous!
The ends do not justify the means. St. George could have very likely gotten away with accepting Emperor Diocletian’s bribes because he would have had the support of the most powerful empire at the time. He could have even tried to justify it by saying that he would use the bribes to help the poor and fund churches. Yet, when we start thinking that the ends justify the means, it becomes very easy to excuse bad behavior just because the outcome appears to be good. St. George shows us that if we are to follow Christ, we should strive to be honest in the way we think and act even to the point of dying for the truth.
St. George is one of the most well-known saints in the world who is revered by both Muslims and Christians. His story became very popular during the Middle Ages due to his courageous example and chivalry. He is also considered part of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, who are a group of saints whose intercession is believed to be very effective especially during the bubonic plague. As we close out the Lenten season, we can look to St. George as an inspiration of how we can struggle and overcome the dragons in our life if we allow God grace to enter into our life.
So if you feel that you need the courage to face your trials, here is a good prayer to look to:
Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, Saint George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end.
Amen.
Be awesome and blossom 🌱
By: anh Daniel
Comments