Snake shedding its skin
Symbolism
November 29th 2015
‘Enter through the narrow gate’, said Jesus. It will be easier for you to understand these words if I give you another image: that of the snake shedding its skin. When the snake senses that a new skin has formed under its old one, it looks for a crack or a small hole in the rocks and slithers in. This is difficult – it takes a lot of effort for it to pass through the ‘narrow gate’. But when it re-emerges, it has got rid of its old skin.
In the same way, each of us must one day pass through the ‘narrow gate’ in order to shed our old skin, our old ideas, habits and ways of thinking. So know that the time will come for you too. Passing through the narrow gate is of course a painful ordeal. But do not worry or be afraid; rejoice at the thought of shedding your old skin and becoming a new being with deeper understanding, a more generous heart and new behaviour, which will bring only blessings to others.