Over the years, I have read many spiritual books that I have learned greatly from.  But one of my very favorites is the author Anthony DeMello.

     Anthony DeMello was born in India.  He became a Jesuit monk and a psychiatrist.  He wrote several books.  His book called, Awareness is a sort-of summary of his theological understanding.  My other favorites are his books where he simply writes these one-page proverbs about life and wisdom.

     They are: One Minute Wisdom, One Minute Nonsense, and More One Minute Nonsense.  These proverbs point to a deeper reality than we usually look for in life.  These proverbs are like sifting through the sand on a beach and finding random nuggets of gold and occasional cut diamonds.  But every once-in-a-while you hit a plain old looking rock.  It is probably just another diamond waiting to be polished.

     A couple of these books are probably out of print, so you will have to do with a used copy.  Here is an example of what is there: 

Excerpts from One Minute Nonsense:

     “The Master overheard an actress discoursing on horoscopes at dinner time.

     He leaned over and said, “You don’t believe in astrology, do you?”

     “Some of the disciples were on an excursion high up on a snow-clad mountain.  Everywhere a cosmic silence prevailed.  They were curious to find out if these were any sounds at night so they pressed the record button on a tape recorder, left it at the entrance of their tent, and went to sleep.

     They got back to the monastery and replayed the tape.  Not a sound; total, unsullied silence.

     The Master, who was listening to the tape, broke in with: “Don’t you hear it?”

     “Hear what?”

     “The harmony of galaxies in motion,” said the Master.

     “Someone asked the Master the meaning of a phrase he had heard: “The enlightened person travels without moving.”

What do you think each of these parables means?

- Pastor Steve