Sister Joan Chittister, writing in...
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Sister Joan Chittister, writing in the Roman Catholic tradition, has some wonderful, evocative stories to tell. In Light in the Darkness: New Reflections on the Psalms for Every Day of the Year she tells about a priest who once traveled to see a renowned spiritual teacher, to spend time on retreat with him.
"Master," he said upon arriving, "I come to you seeking enlightenment."
"Well, then," the master said, "for the first exercise of your retreat, go into the courtyard, tilt back your head, stretch out your arms and wait until I come for you."
Just as the priest arranged himself in that position, the rains came. And it rained. It rained the rest of the afternoon. Finally, the old master came back. "Well, priest," he asked, "have you been enlightened today?"
"Are you serious?" the priest asked, in disgust. "I've been standing here with my head up in the rain for an hour. I'm soaking wet. I feel like a fool!"
The master said, "Well, priest, for the first day of a retreat that sounds like great enlightenment to me."
Naaman, too, felt like a fool: standing naked in the Jordan River, waiting to immerse himself for the seventh and final time. Would that we could be so wise!
"Master," he said upon arriving, "I come to you seeking enlightenment."
"Well, then," the master said, "for the first exercise of your retreat, go into the courtyard, tilt back your head, stretch out your arms and wait until I come for you."
Just as the priest arranged himself in that position, the rains came. And it rained. It rained the rest of the afternoon. Finally, the old master came back. "Well, priest," he asked, "have you been enlightened today?"
"Are you serious?" the priest asked, in disgust. "I've been standing here with my head up in the rain for an hour. I'm soaking wet. I feel like a fool!"
The master said, "Well, priest, for the first day of a retreat that sounds like great enlightenment to me."
Naaman, too, felt like a fool: standing naked in the Jordan River, waiting to immerse himself for the seventh and final time. Would that we could be so wise!
