the prayer of the frog - 11

[Guest guest]

namaste. Continuing with the series of excerpts from "The prayer of

the frog" by Anthony de Mello. The book can be obtained from the

publishers: The Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Post Box 70, Anand,

Gujarat 388001, India.

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

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GRACE

 

 

1.

 

A man was lost in a desert. Later, when describing his ordeal to his

friends, he told how, in sheer despair, he had knelt down and cried

out to God to help him.

 

"And did God answer your prayer?" he was asked.

 

"Oh, no! Before He could, an explorer appeared and showed me the way."

 

 

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2.

 

In his narrative of the saints, Attar tells of the great sufi Habib Ajami

who went to bathe in the river one day leaving his coat lying unattended

on the bank. Now Hasan of Basra happened to pass by, saw the coat and,

thinking that it had been left there through someone's carelessness,

decided to stand guard over it till the owner showed up.

 

When Habib came looking for his coat, Hasan said, "In whose care did

you leave this coat of yours when you went to bathe in the river? It

colud have been stolen!"

 

Habib replied, "I left it in the care of Him who gave you the task

of standing guard over it!"

 

 

 

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3.

 

A disciple came riding on his camel to the tent of his Sufi Master.

He dismounted and walked right into the tent, bowed low and said,

"So great is my trust in God that I have left my camel outside

untied, convinced that God protects the interests of those who

love him."

 

"Go tie your camel, you fool!" said the Master. God cannot be

bothered doing for you what you are perfectly capable of doing for

yourself."

 

 

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GM's comment: Is there a different message in stories 2 and 3 above?

Or, is the vanity of the disciple in 3 the difference from that in

story 2? I would be grateful for further clarifications from the

learned members.

 

 

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