A Daily Inspiration and Personal Reflection
THE STONECUTTER
By Benjamin Hoff

There was a story about the stonecutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that mechant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious and wished that he like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxiries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" thought the stonecutter. "I wish that I could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everyone in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before hm as he passed by. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the field, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between hin and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. I wish I could be a cloud!"

Then became a cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind, "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wishthat I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing toles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how focefully he blew against, it a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish I could be a stone!"

Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter.

PRAYER

"Give us, Lord, a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you. Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation, dullness in prayer. Give us fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, your tender compassion towards me. The things we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labor for: through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Sir Thomas More, 16th century)

_____________________________________
Shared by FoodForThoughtMinistry
www.dailyfoodfothought.org