Reflections

Lenten Reflection – By Sr. Mary Ellen

I belong to a group of Catholic, Jewish and Muslim educators and writers who are dedicated to learning about and with each other. (You can see what we are up to on www.ccirl.org) For each of us in the group the time studying together is cherished; it provides a rich resource for our lives of faith.

So as I began my Lenten journey this year, I was mindful of these same heightened moments of "turning to God" in the lives of my Jewish and Muslims friends – albeit in different ways and at different times.

So often we have shared stories with each other – treasures of inspiration found in each tradition. I found this Jewish story for the time of Rosh Hashanah and coming up to Yom Kippur, the season of repentance for the Jewish people. I think it can also speak to us in our season of repentance as we once again turn to God. Enjoy the story and find a way to pray from the depths of your heart.

From the Depths of the Heart

I have heard from my father the Holy Komarna. One time a Jewish peasant boy came to the big town to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. He didn't know how to pray. He could not even read the letter Alef. He only saw that everyone was traveling to the synagogues to participate in the holy prayers. He thought, "If everybody is going to town I must go too!"

He arrived at the town synagogue with his father and watched the congregants crying and singing together swaying to and fro. He turned to his father and asked, "Father, what is this all about?"

His father turned to him and said, "The Holy One blessed be sits enthroned in the heavens and we pray all year long to Him. We especially pray during these two days of Rosh Hashanah when the whole world is being judged and each person is being judged for the rest of the year."

The son responded, "Father, what am I to do since I do not know how to pray?"

His father quickly said to him condescendingly, "All you have to do is be quiet and listen to the other Jews praying. That is enough for you."

"But Father, if I don't know what these people are saying how is that going to effect God's decision? How is being silent going to help me?"

His father became unnerved and blurted out, "Listen, you should be quiet so no one will know you're an ignorant peasant!"

The son stood still for a couple of minutes as his father and the rest of the congregation continued praying and then - the young boy stood up and spoke loudly.

"I am going to pray to God in the way I know best. I will whistle to God as I whistle to my flock of sheep."

He began whistling the sweet calling as most shepherds know. His father was enraged. The boy continued whistling with all his might not caring what other people thought.

Now, it happened to be, that this particular Rosh Hashanah, all the heavenly gates were shut and suddenly because of this pure whistling of the heart, all the gates burst open. The prayers of Israel were finally heard.

(Nachlei Binah P. 317 #632 Tehillim Ben Beiti, Rabbi Eliezer of Komarno)