I was once told the story of a miracle preformed by Jesus which disturbed me slightly

 

Why were you so disturbed

 

Because the demons that were exorcised out of the man by Jesus were transferred to a herd of swine who proceeded to run down a hill and into a lake where they drowned themselves

 

But the man was saved

 

And the swine died

 

I confess I do not think that Jesus loves animals

 

The priest looked away from me and touched the wooden door of the confessional

I would normally say that Christ loves all creatures but this story troubled me also when I first heard it

 

But after reading various commentaries the story made much more sense to me

 

In short Jesus did not actually send the demons into the pigs he merely allowed the demons to go where they chose to go

 

A great number of people consider pigs unclean and will not touch their meat

 

It is rather like a barbaric invading army

 

They are considered barbaric and sub human and good only for destruction and this could be the reason that the demons chose these creatures

 

But that could mean that it was done for the good of the man

 

I would not have thought that the demons would have been of this consideration

 

They care little for anything

 

The priest smiled as I had clearly amused him

How little you know my son

 

The answer is staring you in your face

 

The demons might have been ignorant of everything but themselves

 

But Jesus was not

The priest stood up and opened the confessional door

He opened mine and helped me out and handed me my crutches

For I was in a crippled state after being attacked by a wild boar