The tapestry of life

24/12/2011
Fr. Jose Kaimlett

A young monk once spent some months in a Belgian monastery where he helped to weave a large tapestry. One day in disappointment he rose from his stool and proclaimed, “I am not doing any more of this work. It does not make sense. The directions I get are meaningless. For instance, I’ve been working with bright yellow thread, when all of a sudden I’m told to tie a knot in it and cut it off.. .. for no apparent reason. What a waste of time!” Then an older monk took him aside and told him, “My son, you are not looking at the tapestry in the right perspective. You’re working only in one area of it, and you’re always behind it, working from the rear.” With that he led the young man around to the front of the tapestry, which was hanging in the gigantic studio. The young man lost his breath in admiration. He had helped weave a wonderful picture of the three kings paying their respects to the Baby Jesus. The yellow thread he had been using, was part of the halo around the Christ Child’s head. Suddenly what he thought was useless and a waste of time took on a meaning.                                                  

_ Catherine Lower O’Shea

We ourselves are all part of God’s master design, which, unfortunately, we do not see in its entirety.

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