Along the Way

A Story of Personal Sacrifice

The stories that always seem to move us most deeply are those in which someone faces irremediable loss or death in order to bring life to someone else. John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meaney is another example of this motivating genre.

It's the story of two friends who grow up in a small town in New Hampshire. One of them, Owen Meaney, is peculiar by his smallness in physical stature, squeeky voice and quirky personality. His whole life is relentlessly moving toward a destiny of personal sacrifice. Irving portrays him as a prophet and ultimately as a messiah. The book is intriguing as the events of Owen's life all move toward a redeeming purpose: he sacrifices his life in order to rescue others. As imperfect as he is, his destiny is fulfilled.

A sub-theme that runs through the book is, for lack of a better description, "armlessness." The native chief who sells his land to the founder of Grave's End, NH, is represented by the graphic of a armless totem pole. Owen removes the arms of the statue of Mary Magdelene. Ultimately, Owen loses both of his arms in his fearless act of heroism.

The story is very moving. It stirs within me a desire to do something of worth in this world; to expend myself for the good of others. However, I find it difficult to follow through with my resolution to live more courageously. My heart's basic patterns stay the same. I am still driven by selfishness and the need for the approval of others. As long as these fears and needs have power over me, all my intentions to change will never be accomplished.

But the Gospel is a different story. it is not just another moving fiction. It is the true story of us. I am the one who is in peril and Jesus has come to give his life to rescue me. Despite my unwillingness to be saved he has taken my place. When I think of what Jesus has done for me I find transforming and liberating strength and inspiration for personal change. The fear and pride that enslave my heart is dislodged. I am humbled by the necessity of his sacrifice. I am thankful and joyful for his desire to willingly give his life in exchange for mine.

The Gospel is unique because Jesus' death is not the end of the story. He is not dead and armless. A Prayer for Owen Meaney concludes with the narrator's longing to have Owen back. He will forever remain an armless dead hero. In Contrast, Jesus is alive and forever remains the one "who holds the seven stars in his right hand" (Revelation 2:1), and the one "who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut and what he shuts no one can open" (Revelation 3:7), and the one who "is able to open the scroll and its seven seals" (Revelation 5:5), etc. It is he who Moses refers to with his glorious benediction, "The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deuteronomy 33:27).