henri nouwen- The road to daybreak

The Three Monks of Tolstoy

Three Russian monks lived on a faraway island. Nobody ever went there, but one day their bishop decided to make a pastoral visit. When he arrived he discoverd that the monks didn't even know the lords prayer. So he spent all his time and energy teaching them the "our father" and then left satisfied with his pastoral work. But when his ship had left the the island and was back in the open sea, he suddenly noticed he three hermits walking on the water-in fact, they were running after the ship! When they reached it they cried, "Dear Father, we have forgotten the prayer you taught us." The bishop, overwhelmed by what he was seeing and hearing said, "But, dear brothers, how then do you pray?" they answered, "Well, we just say, Dear God, there are three of us and there are three of you, have mercy on us!" The bishop, awestruck by their sanctity and simplicity, said, "Go back to your island and be at peace." ~the road to daybreak

We always believe that our way is best. May we listen more than we speak. May we see with the fullness of our beings and not simply with our eyes.