The Prayer Of the Upright is His Delight

"I am with you always..."

There is an old Hasidic Jewish tale about a rabbi and an abbot of a monastery who often took walks with each other in the woods. Each of them looked forward to these special times because each found in the other a sympathetic listener to the problems faced daily in carrying out his respective religious responsibilities.

One day the abbot confessed that there had been a rash of conflicts in the monastery. He told how the monks had become petty and were constantly being mean to each other. "As a matter of fact," said the abbot, "unless something changes, I fear the fellowship of the monastery will fall apart and nobody will want to come and be a part of our community."

"This is very strange news," responded the rabbi, "especially since it is widely rumored that one of your monks is the Messiah." When the abbot returned to the monastery, he reported to the brothers the incredible thing the rabbi had told him. Everyone was abuzz about this news and everyone wondered which of them might be the Holy One. Each looked upon the other with an inquisitive manner. Each wondered whether the brother he met in the daily round of work could be the Christ, living among them.

It is said that in the days that followed, all bickering and complaining ceased. Furthermore, the spiritual life of the monks was quickly raised to a brilliantly high level. And word of the love and of the quality of life at the monastery spread far and wide. Instead of declining, the fellowship of the brothers grew in number and increased in spiritual depth. And all this happened because of a rumor that suggested, "the Messiah is among you!"

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt. 28:20)