February 8
From the memoirs of HH Shri Bhola Nathji (1902-1992)
Founder of the World Prayer Day for Peace
THE TRAVELER IN THE DARK
There was a traveler, who, having lost his
way, found himself in a dark and threatening
forest. Numerous were the howlings of
jackals and cries of other wild beasts which
pierced his ears and struck terror into his
heart.
With the setting of the sun, the shadows
deepened and his eyes could see nothing.
Up above in the sky he saw a few tiny stars
that sparkled in their own light and thus
rendered themselves visible.
He stumbled on blindly, guided only by the
tiny specks of light above.
But these were soon to disappear, for dark,
forbidding clouds filled the sky. Alas!
Misery does not come alone! The sky was
filled with the rumbling of thunder, and a
storm appeared to be on its way.
Lightning flashed across the sky. The
traveler was miserable.
But the thunder and
lightning were not without effect; the claps
of thunder terrified the wild beasts who
slunk back into their lairs, whilst the
lightning provided a light by which the
traveler found his path.
On reaching home,
the traveler had occasion to thank the very
clouds which he had so fervently cursed
before – for truly without them there would
have been no lightning and hence no light
which would have revealed to the traveler
his true path.
It is thus that the Grace of God reveals itself like a lightning flash when man is in trouble. What man believes to be an increase in misery may in fact be the ending of it!
From the memoirs of HH Shri Bhola Nathji (1902-1992)
Founder of the World Prayer Day for Peace
THE TRAVELER IN THE DARK
There was a traveler, who, having lost his
way, found himself in a dark and threatening
forest. Numerous were the howlings of
jackals and cries of other wild beasts which
pierced his ears and struck terror into his
heart.
With the setting of the sun, the shadows
deepened and his eyes could see nothing.
Up above in the sky he saw a few tiny stars
that sparkled in their own light and thus
rendered themselves visible.
He stumbled on blindly, guided only by the
tiny specks of light above.
But these were soon to disappear, for dark,
forbidding clouds filled the sky. Alas!
Misery does not come alone! The sky was
filled with the rumbling of thunder, and a
storm appeared to be on its way.
Lightning flashed across the sky. The
traveler was miserable.
But the thunder and
lightning were not without effect; the claps
of thunder terrified the wild beasts who
slunk back into their lairs, whilst the
lightning provided a light by which the
traveler found his path.
On reaching home,
the traveler had occasion to thank the very
clouds which he had so fervently cursed
before – for truly without them there would
have been no lightning and hence no light
which would have revealed to the traveler
his true path.
It is thus that the Grace of God reveals itself like a lightning flash when man is in trouble. What man believes to be an increase in misery may in fact be the ending of it!
