Tell Them The Stories of Jesus

A Reflection on Psalm 78:1-4 — 11/15/2023

[W]e will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
— Psalm 78:4

Humans are those that love a great story. From the earliest circles around fires to brief talks around water coolers, then books, videos, tweets and substacks, we will use any medium available to say, “Guess what?” Or, “You’ll never believe this!”

Telling stories is not only something we do for fun, but it is vital to our flourishing as a people. The story helps us figure out what do to with our own stories. Perhaps it was a story that helped you figure out what to focus on in college, or where to take the next vacation.

For many of us, stories have shaped the entire thrust of our lives. This was the case for St. Ignatius of Loyola. Here's a note from his biography:

While perusing the life of Our Lord and the saints, he began to reflect, saying to himself: “What if I should do what St. Francis did?” “What if I should act like St. Dominic?” He pondered over these things in his mind, and kept continually proposing to himself serious and difficult things. He seemed to feel a certain readiness for doing them, with no other reason except this thought: “St. Dominic did this; I, too, will do it.” “St. Francis did this; therefore I will do it.”

The beautiful lives of the saints and their Lord, captured in story, set him on his journey to join their ranks… and he did.

Actually, that’s what the best stories do, and there is no better story than that of what our Lord has done. Our responsibility is to tell it and retell it in ways that the generation following us can hear and understand it. We needn’t do much else than to tell it well. For the story will do the rest.

So, Erin Morgenstern:

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.”

We have been caught up in the grand story of God, let us tell and retell, then tell again, until all people are caught up in it and rejoice to play their small part.

Almighty God, thank you for catching us up in your great story of Redemption. Today, give us the grace to play our parts well, not that we might get the praise, for we are just bit actors, but that your Name may be seen as great, wonderful, and worthy of all praise. Amen.

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