02-09-2005, 06:42 AM
A man, his wife, and mother-in-law went on vacation to the Holy Land.
While they were there the mother-in-law passed away. The undertaker
told them, "You can have her shipped home for $5,000,or you can bury
her here in the Holy Land for $150.00." The man thought about it and
told him he would just have her shipped home. The undertaker asked,
"Why?" Why would you spend $5,000 to ship your mother-in-law home,
when it would be wonderful to be buried here and spend only $150.00?"
The man said, "A man died here 2000 years ago, he was buried here and
three days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that
chance..."
While they were there the mother-in-law passed away. The undertaker
told them, "You can have her shipped home for $5,000,or you can bury
her here in the Holy Land for $150.00." The man thought about it and
told him he would just have her shipped home. The undertaker asked,
"Why?" Why would you spend $5,000 to ship your mother-in-law home,
when it would be wonderful to be buried here and spend only $150.00?"
The man said, "A man died here 2000 years ago, he was buried here and
three days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that
chance..."
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton