The Little Story of the Wise, Old Monk

One of the young monks in a Greek monastery committed a serious fault, and the oldest hermit, who was living alone in a shack far from the monastery, was summoned to judge him and decide his punishment. The hermit refused, but the other monks insisted, and he eventually gave in and answered their call.

He arrived at the monastery carrying on his back a heavy bucket with a hole in it, out of which sand was spilling behind him. “I have come to judge the young brother” he said to the monastery leaders. “My own sins, errors and faults are spilling behind me like the sand from this bucket, but since I don’t look at what I leave behind me and don’t see my own mistakes, I come to judge my brother for his own!”

The monks dropped their heads. They understood the wisdom of the hermit and gave up the idea of punishment, humbled in their hearts for their judgement against a child whom God wants to forgive.

(inspired by an old Orthodox story)

Your friend,
Dr. Dragos

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