"Today we have a visiting minister. A Sufi joins our Zen Baptist journey. I would
like the congregation to welcome Nasruddin,
who has the sermon for today. Take it away, Naz!"
"Thank you, George. How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
Silence. Then murmuring. Then finally a response. "None of us do."
"If you don't already know what I am going to say, then the situation is hopeless, and there is no need to proceed further. Back to you, George." And Nasruddin sits down.
George stands up. "Well, that's it, folks. You had your chance and blew it."
"Wait! Wait! Please give us another try."
"Okay," says Nasruddin. How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
"We all do!" they exclaimed.
"Then I need say nothing." And Nasruddin sits back down.
Now the people are starting to get into this thing. They had been sitting like empty vessels waiting to be filled, for Nasruddin to unscrew their tops and pour clear wisdom into their containers. Now they are getting a little riled up and beginning to be who they really are. Some are grinning. Some are perplexed. Some a little angry.
They confer amongst themselves.
"Give us one more try," they say.
"Okay," says Nasruddin. "How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
"Some of us do and some of us don't!" was the instant reply.
"Fine," says Nasruddin, "Let those who know tell the others."
And he and George walk out into the sunshine and the beautiful day singing one of their favorite songs (composed by their buddy Rumi), "Whoever brought me here will have to take me home."
"Thank you, George. How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
Silence. Then murmuring. Then finally a response. "None of us do."
"If you don't already know what I am going to say, then the situation is hopeless, and there is no need to proceed further. Back to you, George." And Nasruddin sits down.
George stands up. "Well, that's it, folks. You had your chance and blew it."
"Wait! Wait! Please give us another try."
"Okay," says Nasruddin. How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
"We all do!" they exclaimed.
"Then I need say nothing." And Nasruddin sits back down.
Now the people are starting to get into this thing. They had been sitting like empty vessels waiting to be filled, for Nasruddin to unscrew their tops and pour clear wisdom into their containers. Now they are getting a little riled up and beginning to be who they really are. Some are grinning. Some are perplexed. Some a little angry.
They confer amongst themselves.
"Give us one more try," they say.
"Okay," says Nasruddin. "How many of you here know what I am going to say?"
"Some of us do and some of us don't!" was the instant reply.
"Fine," says Nasruddin, "Let those who know tell the others."
And he and George walk out into the sunshine and the beautiful day singing one of their favorite songs (composed by their buddy Rumi), "Whoever brought me here will have to take me home."
:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story.
ReplyDeleteSufi's UP
ReplyDeleteWax your Boards
Wax On
ReplyDeleteWax Off