What's better, a live mouse or a dead lion?

[Didacus]

The nutricious and wholesome fatherly side of me says it is better to live, even if one lives as a mouse, so I can take care of my family.

But the sugary adventurous side of me says I should speak out, take up every fight, until finally I can fight no longer and the Lord comes to take me away.
________________________

In the early church history, the Christians hid to practice their religion. This is a live mouse.

Standing up and fighting in a justified war, that would be a dead lion (assuming your chances of survival, as in most wars, is very small).


Which are you? Which would you like to be? Which is better according to you?


Of course, I would prefer to be a live lion, but that's not an option in this poll.


Personally, I'd like to be a dead lion, but in reality, I'm a live mouse most of the time. Maybe because I haven't had a chance to be a hero.. yet? But yep, I'm a live mouse for now.

And I think neither is really better than the other, both have their place and application.

[Guest Rick777]

[Dreamweaver]

Most of my experiences with mice have been with inbred mice used in a lab. A lab rat's life isn't the greatest. They'll end up dying anyways. Since I love kitties (big and small), I'd rather be a dead lion than a (soon to be dead) mouse.

[scardella]

I say be like St. Francis. Be so gosh darn lovable and holy that even people who are your sworn enemies can't bring themselves to kill you.

I'm speaking of the time St. Francis went to try and convert the Turkish(?) Sultan in the Holy Land.

[philothea]

Dead lion, all the way!

OTOH, I have no sense of self preservation at all.



Actually, this is different way of phrasing a serious question that I keep trying to figure out: is it better to conform yourself to your situation, or try to change it? Sometimes one is better, sometimes the other, and it's not at all trivial to figure out which is which.

[God Conquers]

Oh lion you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind.

[avemaria40]

Lol, that's really funny:)

[Didacus]

Have any of you read the play:

"A man for all seasons"?

It is the story of Saint Thomas Moore, and the main theme is expressed just as that; the difference between a live mouse and a dead lion. St. Thomas Moore was the lion in the play, he stood up for what was right, and got executed for it. The others around him where all living mice, who did not strand up for what was right, but lived.

It is not a trivial question at all; it can be figuratively expanded to include all sorts of situation where one must wiegh the benefits of continuation versus making a final stand.

He who runs away lives to fight another day.

[scardella]

Yeah, I've read it.

I think, though, it doesn't really matter which you would rather be; what matters is what you're CALLED to be. I think it highly depends on what the circumstances call for, as well as your own personality.

In Thomas More's case, they were trying to force him to agree to something immoral. We can never compromise ourselves morally. If being a living mouse would mean that you lie or scandalize others, then it's not worth it. However, if there is nothing that is immoral that needs to be done to be a living mouse (plus it doesn't create scandal), then it is a matter of discernment.

Edited November 15, 2005 by scardella

[scardella]

I think the readings for today are apropos:
[quote]Reading I
2 Mc 6:18-31

Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes,
a man of advanced age and noble appearance,
was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement,
he spat out the meat,
and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food
which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,
because of their long acquaintance with him,
and urged him to bring meat of his own providing,
such as he could legitimately eat,
and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice
prescribed by the king;
in this way he would escape the death penalty,
and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.
But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner,
worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age,
the merited distinction of his gray hair,
and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood;
and so he declared that above all
he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.

He told them to send him at once
to the abode of the dead, explaining:
“At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense;
many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar
had gone over to an alien religion.
Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life,
they would be led astray by me,
while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.
Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men,
I shall never, whether alive or dead,
escape the hands of the Almighty.
Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now,
I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
and I will leave to the young a noble example
of how to die willingly and generously
for the revered and holy laws.”

Eleazar spoke thus,
and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed,
now became hostile toward him because what he had said
seemed to them utter madness.
When he was about to die under the blows,

he groaned and said:
“The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that,
although I could have escaped death,
I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging,
but also suffering it with joy in my soul
because of my devotion to him.”
This is how he died,
leaving in his death a model of courage
and an unforgettable example of virtue
not only for the young but for the whole nation.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (6b) The Lord upholds me.
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
R. The Lord upholds me.
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
R. The Lord upholds me.
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
R. The Lord upholds me.

Gospel
Lk 19:1-10

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”[/quote]

[White Knight]

I have no idea the analogies are strange, so I cannot say.

[icelandic_iceskater]

hmm...

I think I'd like to be a live mouse who's transforming into a live lion.

[T-Bone _]

There's great evil in the world, but the greatest evil of all is when good men see evil and do nothing.

[princessgianna]

Dead lion all the way!

i wonder what it is like to be martyred!

but you have to stand up for Christ! If you don;t then your life is worthless!

[missionarybelle]

mice are gross.

I'd rather be a dead lion than a live mouse.

besides, to quote my favorite book
"To die for love? What could be more Glorious!"