The Deck of Cards
"The Deck of Cards" is set during World War II, where a group of Army soldiers, on a long hike during a campaign in southern Italy, had arrived and camped near a town named Cassino. While Scripture is being read, one boy who has only a deck of playing cards, pulls them out and spreads them in front of him. He is immediately spotted by a sergeant, arrested and taken before the Provost Marshal to be punished.
The Provost Marshal demands an explanation, to which the soldier explains the significance of each card:
Ace: The one true God
Deuce: The Old Testament and New Testament in the Bible
Trey: The Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit/Ghost
Four: St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, authors of the four Gospels
Five: The two groups of five virgins who trimmed their lamps for a wedding. Five were wise (by saving enough oil) and were admitted, while the other five were foolish (did not have enough oil) and were shut out.
Six: God creates the Earth in six days.
Seven: God rests on the seventh day, now known as the Sabbath.
Eight: The eight righteous people who God saved during the Great Flood: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives.
Nine: The ten lephers who Jesus cleansed; nine of whom didn't even thank him.
Ten: The Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses.
King: Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Queen: Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Queen of Heaven.
Jack or Knaves: Satan or the Devil
365 Spots: Days in a year
52 Cards: Approximate number of weeks in a year
Four Suits: Approximate number of weeks in a month (can also mean the four seasons but this is not included in the song)
Twelve Face Cards: Months in a year
Thirteen Tricks: Approximate number of weeks in a quarter
He then ends his story by saying that "my deck of cards serves me as a Bible, an almanac and a prayer book." The narrator then closes the story by stating that "this story is true," either by claiming either he is the soldier in question or that he knows him.
The fate of the soldier — whether he is jailed or if the Provost Marshal accepts the explanation and lets the soldier go — is not revealed in this version, though the storyteller says at the end "..This story is true-- I know, because I was (or knew) that soldier". The versions by Tyler, Martindale and Anderson ended just this way."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_Of_Cards
...
My CCD teacher told us this story a few days ago. I teared and I was shocked that this man showed such great passion towards a deck of cards.
I usually only see a deck of cards as a tool, some only see it as a stack of cardboard.
But a deck of cards gave him a will to live.
Thanks for reading.
mm~
"The Deck of Cards" is set during World War II, where a group of Army soldiers, on a long hike during a campaign in southern Italy, had arrived and camped near a town named Cassino. While Scripture is being read, one boy who has only a deck of playing cards, pulls them out and spreads them in front of him. He is immediately spotted by a sergeant, arrested and taken before the Provost Marshal to be punished.
The Provost Marshal demands an explanation, to which the soldier explains the significance of each card:
Ace: The one true God
Deuce: The Old Testament and New Testament in the Bible
Trey: The Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit/Ghost
Four: St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, authors of the four Gospels
Five: The two groups of five virgins who trimmed their lamps for a wedding. Five were wise (by saving enough oil) and were admitted, while the other five were foolish (did not have enough oil) and were shut out.
Six: God creates the Earth in six days.
Seven: God rests on the seventh day, now known as the Sabbath.
Eight: The eight righteous people who God saved during the Great Flood: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives.
Nine: The ten lephers who Jesus cleansed; nine of whom didn't even thank him.
Ten: The Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses.
King: Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Queen: Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Queen of Heaven.
Jack or Knaves: Satan or the Devil
365 Spots: Days in a year
52 Cards: Approximate number of weeks in a year
Four Suits: Approximate number of weeks in a month (can also mean the four seasons but this is not included in the song)
Twelve Face Cards: Months in a year
Thirteen Tricks: Approximate number of weeks in a quarter
He then ends his story by saying that "my deck of cards serves me as a Bible, an almanac and a prayer book." The narrator then closes the story by stating that "this story is true," either by claiming either he is the soldier in question or that he knows him.
The fate of the soldier — whether he is jailed or if the Provost Marshal accepts the explanation and lets the soldier go — is not revealed in this version, though the storyteller says at the end "..This story is true-- I know, because I was (or knew) that soldier". The versions by Tyler, Martindale and Anderson ended just this way."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_Of_Cards
...
My CCD teacher told us this story a few days ago. I teared and I was shocked that this man showed such great passion towards a deck of cards.
I usually only see a deck of cards as a tool, some only see it as a stack of cardboard.
But a deck of cards gave him a will to live.
Thanks for reading.
mm~
