CowPi Journal

One particular day, Sally walked into her religion class. She knew it was going to be a fun day because it was Mr. Smith’s class. Mr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Mr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry. He would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.

One student drew a picture of someone who had stolen her boyfriend. Another student drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn. She was filled with disappointment when Mr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Mr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face, and His eyes were pierced.

The only words Mr. Smith said were from Matthew 25:40, “In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”

No other words were necessary. The tears filled eyes of the students focused only on the picture of Christ.

This is a test. An easy test. Your score is 100 or zero. It is your choice.

I received this in my email this morning. The message is harsh. It should be, at times. We all make mistakes, but do you ask God for forgiveness for yourself when you mess up? Or maybe the question should be, do you realize it when you are messing up?

This also reminded me of something I posted earlier in the month.

The devil once went for a walk with a friend. They saw a man ahead of them stoop down and pick up something from the ground.

“What did that man find?” asked the friend.

“A piece of the truth,” said the devil.

“Doesn’t that disturb you?” asked the friend.

“No,” said the devil, “I shall let him make a belief out of it.”

Please form your own impression from this koan before reading further.

(more…)

I have stumbled upon a set of stories by Anthony de Mello. Some people might call them koans. Koans are stories that come from many different traditions, most notably Zen, but others are Buddhist, Christian, Hasidic, Russian, Chinese, Hindu, Sufi. They can be ancient or contemporary. As de Mello writes, they “have a special quality: if read in a certain kind of way, they will produce spiritual growth.” They also might just make a mystic out of you.

De Mello suggest that these stories should be reflected upon. He recommends to:

Create a silence within you and let the story reveal to you its inner depth and meaning: Something beyond words and reflections… Or carry the story around all day and allow its fragrance, its melody to haunt you. Let it speak to your heart, not to your brain.

De Mello also cautions, “Beware of applying a story to anyone other than yourself. If you do so, the story will do you damage. Every one of these stories are about you, no one else.”

I would add that these stories should not become a foundation or a basis for your spirituality. Each story, for a lack of a better term, is an insight or a path to something deeper. It is that deeper, wordless something that should become a tiny part of your total spirituality. It is also my opinion that your reactions to these stories tell us more about you than they tell us about the stories themselves.

O Jesus, for how many ages have you been on the Cross and yet people pass by in utter disregard of you except to pierce once again your Sacred Heart. How often have I passed you by, heedless of your overwhelming sorrow, your countless wounds, you infinite love. How often have I stood before you, not to comfort and console you, but to offend you by my conduct or neglect of you, to scorn your love.

You have stretched out your hands to comfort me, and I have seized those hands—that might have consigned me to hell—and have bent them back upon the Cross, nailing them rigid and helpless to it. Yet I have only succeeded in imprinting my name on your palms forever. You have loved me with an infinite love and I have taken advantage of that love to sin all the more against you. Yet my ingratitude has only succeeded in piercing your Sacred Heart and causing your Precious Blood to flow forth upon me.

O Jesus, let your Blood be upon me, not for a curse, but for a blessing. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on me. Amen.

(from E.Book of Common Prayers)