Tico and the Godlen Wings

Live in God and respond to God’s grace and gifts
We accept God’s grace as a gift. We respond generously to God by noticing
others, giving of our gifts to others and forgiving others.


Tico and the Golden Wings
by Leo Lionni
New York, NY: Dragonfly Books of Alfred A. Knopf.
Paperback ISBN 0-394-83078-4

Tico was born without wings and so could not fly. Luckily
the other birds loved him, and so they supplied him things
to eat, and helped him with his needs. Yet Tico longed to
fly as other birds did. Tico
dreamed of having golden
wings on which to soar.
One summer night, he was
visited by the wishingbird,
who gave him a wish. Tico
wished for golden wings, like in his dream, and so it was
granted. When his friends saw his new golden wings, they
made fun of him. But Tico flew on, testing out his new
wings.

Tico came across a poor man who was sad, because his son
was sick and he could not afford medicine. Tico gave him
one of his golden wings, which was replaced by a black wing.
Tico gave his golden wings to many who needed them:
puppets for a poor puppeteer, a spinning wheel for an old
woman, and a compass for a lost fisherman. When the last golden feather went to a bride, he still
had wings of black, able to fly. He flew back back to the tree wondering if his friends would welcome
him. They did. He rejoined them. They thought he was just like them. But Tico knew he
had his golden memories of how his gifts had helped so many others.


In the Letter to the Ephesians we are reminded that God entered history with Jesus Christ to
change our world by saving us through grace. Grace that is a gift to us that we don’t earn, it is just
given, like golden wings, but that we are expected to keep giving. We are made for good works.
God’s love and grace don’t end with us, they should flow through us.

In the story Tico and the Golden Wings, Tico is in need of wings and cannot save himself. Only
something outside can help him. He gets these wings as a gift - nothing he does earns them. But
he accepts the gift and uses it well. Then he notices others who are in need and desires to help
them. Then he actually does help them by giving them his golden wings. Finally he forgives the
other birds who were not always nice to him. Tico responded to the gift he received with generosity
and good works.