Here Be Lions (Hic Sunt Leones)

As I sat down to write this reflection, the phrase ‘here be lions’ came to mind and I looked it up. Versions of this phrase (also ‘here be dragons’ or ‘here be monsters’) were written on the edges of maps in the Middle Ages marking unknown territory. Here be lions.

The phrase came to mind, not because I was thinking about medieval maps or unknown territory, but because since early December I’ve been encountering a lot of lions.

It started with a dream a few nights before the women’s retreat – actually a nightmare. In my dream I was at the Hermitage (where we’ve held our retreats for several years and again this year) walking around the property and everywhere I turned there was a lion. Some sleeping, some walking away from me, some hidden behind trees and bushes. Pretty much lions everywhere, and always a sense of danger, though none of them were attacking me.

When I woke up, I thought, “Wow. I guess I’m nervous about the retreat.” And I was – we haven’t had a women’s retreat for a while, December is a busy month, I wasn’t sure how it would go with COVID precautions, etc…. I didn’t think too much more about the dream until I got to the Hermitage and brought my overnight bag up to the apartment where I was staying. I sat down, took off my shoes and looked up to see this picture on the wall. A lion. Not exactly scary, but not safe either, despite the lamb.

When I got home from the retreat, I kept running into images of lions everywhere. Someone posted a picture on Facebook of a frozen weeping willow tree that looked like a lion’s head. The devotional our family was reading for Advent included artwork for each day and the day after the retreat the image was a lion with the Christ child at the center. I looked up from reading one night and noticed a lion ornament on our tree, made by my great aunt when I was really little. One of the kids mentioned learning about the name Lion of Judah as a name for Jesus during Bible class at school. Lions everywhere. . .

I took all of this as invitation to explore a bit. I looked up lions on Bible Gateway – turns out there are a lot of mentions of lions in the Bible – usually negative, with the exceptions of Lion of Judah and the images of the peaceful kingdom in Isaiah. I also decided to re-read some of the Chronicles of Narnia. And eventually, I found myself sitting with this scene from Prince Caspian. The children have been reunited with Aslan (The Lion who is a lot like Jesus), after not listening to Lucy and not going the way Aslan told her to go.

Then, after an awful pause, the deep voice said, “Susan.” Susan made no answer but the others thought she was crying. “You have listened to fears, child,” said Aslan. “Come, let me breathe on you. Forget them. Are you brave again?” “A little, Aslan,” said Susan.

I read that scene and thought - Susan is me. It is hard not to listen to fears these days, not to let them be louder than the voice of love. I desperately need Jesus’ presence with me with the closeness of breath, reminding me, ‘do not be afraid.’

I’m still running into images of lions, though they are slowing down a bit. Jay treated me to this beer in Florida, chosen for the flavor, not the image on the can.

Peter came home last week with the news that his basketball team had finally chosen their name – the lions! Someone was wearing lion earrings at church on Sunday. And on Facebook today, a dear friend (without knowing about my dream) shared an image of a lion and the words of Romans 8 ‘nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.’

I don’t know why I’m encountering lions so often – it feels a little silly. But I’m receiving them as reminders in these days that often feel like the unknown territory on the edge of the map. Reminders of Jesus’ presence and words ‘do not be afraid;’ reminders that feel as intimate as breath.