AN old Cherokee story goes like this:
An old man says to his grandson, “There’s a fight going on inside of me. It’s a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil—angry, greedy, jealous, arrogant, and cowardly. The other is good—peaceful, loving, modest, generous, honest, and trustworthy. These two wolves are also fighting within you and inside every person too.”
The grandson takes a moment to reflect on his grandfather’s words and then asks, “Which wolf will win?”
The grandfather gives a simple reply, “The one you feed.”
Isn’t this a great story to examine one’s heart and all the good and evil intentions that may flow from it? We are what is within us and what comes out from within one’s heart through our words. One’s words and attitudes show which kind of wolf we feed inside us.
Indeed, if we keep feeding the “bad wolf” with anger, envy, arrogance, and resentment, it would manifest itself in how we communicate and behave with others. We would have a sour look on our faces and treat others unkindly and unlovingly. It’s hard to hide ill feelings unless one is good at faking them.
But if we keep feeding the “good wolf,” I’d say that it will turn into a “lamb,” making our attitudes, behaviors, and inner life more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, benevolent, mild, faithful, modest, and chaste (fruits of the Spirit, see Galatian 5:22-23).
It’s why Jesus says in this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 6:39-45), “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Feeding the “good wolf” then cultivates a good heart to produce good fruits, resulting in a consistency of words and actions. As John J. Pilch states, “it is important that one’s emotion-fused thoughts (heart-eyes), self-expressive speech (mouth-ears), and purposeful activity (hands-feet) be perfectly coordinated. Anything else is stage-acting.” (The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C, Liturgical Press, pp. 44-42)
What I find exceptional when there is a consistency of intentions, words, and actions in one’s life is the wholeness, peace, and joy it brings. It’s why it’s vital to pray and receive help from the Word of God, the grace of the Sacraments, and the many ways that the Holy Spirit works in the world.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
