Malo, The Wren, And The Piglets

Give to others, and God will give to you.. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands – all that you can hold. Luke 6: 36

Malo’s travels through Britanny to spread the Word of God to humans kept him busy, but he had time for birds and animals too. Far from detracting from his mission, this helped it along.

Malo earned his keep by doing seasonal work in the vineyards. Once when he came to pick up his coat after he had finished work he found a wren had laid an egg in it. He decided to leave the coat just where it was until this egg, and subsequent eggs, hatched. For once it did not rain during the whole time the coat was in the open. The vineyard workers were touched both by Malo’s care for the wrens and by heaven’s care of his coat.

On another occasion during his travels he came across a farm labourer writhing and crying in grief in a meadow, surrounded by piglets, and fearful to return to his boss. The mother of these piglets had run amock, trampling down the corn in a neighbouring farmer’s field. The well- meaning swineherd tried to chase it out of the field by throwing a large stone at it. Unfortunately, the stone hit it in just the wrong place, and it was wounded and died.

Now the piglets were running amock, trying in vain to find milk from their dead mother. Malo’s heart went out to the swineherd, and his prayer went up to God. Malo stretched out his staff, and laid it on the ear of the dead sow. The sow was restored to life and got up on its four legs.

The emotions of the swineherd went from one extreme to the other. Now he was almost delirious with joy, and hurried to tell his employer and everyone he possibly could all about Malo and what had happened. The farmer personally came to thank Malo and offered him one of his farms as a base for a new Christian community.

Lord, take away all penny-pinching from me.
Give me a generous heart and a helping hand
for every person and every creature I meet.
And thank you that this will bring blessing.