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The Faculty of Catholic Theology deals with allegories and metaphors in narratives and their messages and origins. It investigates how linguistic images were created, what they are supposed to express and impart, and the meanings they convey to people. Which parallels or contradictions can be found between biblical texts or Christian narratives and the saga of Frau Hitt?
Why does Martin share his coat but Frau Hitt won't share her bread?
Do you know the story of Saint Martin sharing his coat with a beggar? Martin lived in the 4th century and was a Roman officer. On a bitterly cold winter evening he rode through the city gate of Amiens, near Paris, when he saw a freezing beggar on the ground. Kind-hearted as he was, he didn't have to think twice about what to do. He drew his sword, cut his thick officer's coat in two and gave half to the beggar. Legend has it that the following night he saw Jesus in his dreams, thanking him for this good deed.
Why did Lot's wife turn into a pillar of salt?
Gen 19, 15-26
With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.”
When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.
As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please!
Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die.
Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it – it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”
He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of.
But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar.)
By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land.
Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah – from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities – and also the vegetation in the land.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
Who would give someone a stone if asked for bread?
Mt 7,7-12
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
How does a heart of stone come back to life?
Ez 11, 18-20
They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them;
I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
They will be my people, and I will be their God.