The man we know as Saint Christopher was a loner, a tall and powerful man who wandered the earth in search of adventure. Along the way, he decided to spend his life helping others. One day, he came to a crossing of a dangerous river where many people had drowned. He realized that he could use his great size and strength to help travelers cross this river safely. So he settled in a hut by the river and became a ferryman.
One stormy night, a child approached Christopher’s hut and asked to be carried across the river. The big man easily hoisted the small boy onto his shoulder and began the crossing. As he went, the wind blew harder and the current became more swift. The child seemed to grow heavier with each step and Christopher feared they would not reach the opposite bank. He summoned all of his inner strength to save the life of the child and finally reached the far side. It was there that the child revealed himself as Christ who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Christopher spread the story of the boy causing many to convert to a life of religion. This enraged a local king who arrested Christopher and tortured him. When Christopher refused to denounce what he believed in, the king had Christopher executed.
A strong but gentle man with firm beliefs, seeking his own path, always ready and willing to help others…I think we might have seen Christopher cruising down the highway on two wheels if he was alive today.
Ride safe.
