When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread. But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out of society - that spiritual poverty is much harder to overcome.
Those who are materially poor can be very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street.
And one of them was in a most terrible condition. I told the Sisters:
"You take care of the other three; I will take care of the one who looks worse."
So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand, as she said one word only:
"Thank you" - and she died.
I could not help but examine my conscience before her. And I asked: "What would I say if I were in her place?" And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said: "I am hungry, I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain," or something. But she gave me much more, she gave me her grateful love.
And she died with a smile on her face.
Then there was the man we picked up from the drain, half eaten by worms and, after we had brought him to the home, he only said, "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die as an angel, loved and cared for."
Then, after we had removed all the worms from his body, all he said, with a big smile, was: "Sister, I am going home to God" - and he died. It was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that without blaming anybody, without comparing anything.
Like an angel - this is the greatness of people who are spiritually rich even when they are materially poor....
WOW....
ReplyDeleteThis makes me wonder!! Do I have the courage to extend to humans in such a way ???
Very humbling ...
& Osho the charlatan Said terrible things about her ... Surely he would, to gather more fame & money in his circus stage talks.
"But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out of society - that spiritual poverty is much harder to overcome."
ReplyDeleteThese are the people that my heart goes out to in such a big, big way. I guess I experience some of this spiritual poverty in myself.
This is so deeply touching.
Thanks for sharing it again Ed.
"I could not help but examine my conscience before her. "
ReplyDeleteI can't help but do this when I think of realizing my self.
With all the suffering happening in this world, how selfish of me to chase my own self importance to be Self Realized.
Yet with all this suffering...It is not just enough to know, and see that it happens.
I think there has to be a resonation within you to the suffering.
I know many people who eat animal flesh who know how that flesh got to there plate and yet will not "feel" for the suffering the animal went through.
Speaking for myself :)
Ricky said, "With all the suffering happening in this world, how selfish of me to chase my own self importance to be Self Realized."
ReplyDeleteRicky, this is why I agree with Edji, one can do both at the same time - pursue Self Knowlege and reach out. But none of us will be able to reach out to really make a difference until we allow ourselves to 'feel' and 'experience' within ourselves our own spiritual poverty; all that stuff bottled up inside that we would rather not feel. I think compassion is born from the suffering of tasting one's own darkness.
With Love
Thank you Anon
ReplyDelete