A-MUSED

A professor and a wise fisherman are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The professor says, “Let’s play a game. I’ll ask you a question — if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $500.” The professor asks first: “What’s the distance from the Earth to the Moon?” The fisherman doesn’t say a word, quietly reaches into his pocket, and hands…

On the afternoon of September 13, 1983, the day when he was elected the 29thSuperior General of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach slipped out of the Jesuit headquarters in Rome to take a walk. An Italian lady saw him leaving the building and asked: “Are you attending the General Congregation of the Jesuits?” “Yes,” he told her. “Well,” she said, “I wouldn’t have…

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish. About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the…

Once upon a time there was an investment banker.  He lived in New York City, was phenomenally successful, and made a ton of money.  But his life was busy, noisy, and very stressful. So, once a year, he would leave the city and go down to a small coastal village in Mexico.  For two weeks he would rest, relax, and allow himself to be rejuvenated. One day he was standing on the pier just before…

A wealthy businessman was horrified to see a fisherman sitting beside his boat, playing with a small child. “Why aren’t you out fishing?” asked the businessman. “Because I caught enough fish for one day,” replied the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch some more?” “What would I do with them?” “You could earn more money,” said the businessman. “Then with the extra money, you could buy a bigger…

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel …” –Luke 1:26 Bellini has it wrong.I was not kneelingon my satin cushion,in a beam of light,head slightly bent.Painters alwaysskew the scene,as though my lifewere wrapped in silks,in temple smells.Actually, I had justcome back from the well,placing the pitcher on the tableI bumped against the edge,spilling water on the floor.As I bent to wipeit up, there was…

Screenshot There is a wonderful story told by St. Thérèse of Lisieux in her autobiography, Story of a Soul , of an incident that happened to her as a child. Her older sister, Léonie, having outgrown playing with dolls, brought a basket of stuff for making dolls’ dresses to her younger sisters, Céline and Thérèse, with her own doll resting on top of it. She offered the basket to them, saying:…

Screenshot In the misty dawn, a disciple approached his master by the ancient cherry tree. “Master,” he said, “I fear the storm will ruin our harvest. How can I hold onto hope?” The master plucked a falling blossom and held it in his palm. “Hope is not the sun breaking through clouds, nor the promise of ripe fruit. Watch.” A gust scattered the petals. The tree stood bare, naked, yet rooted…

Basil Hume, a Roman Catholic cardinal, tells a story about the God-image his mother gave him in his childhood. His mother called Basil into the kitchen and said, “Son, I’ve just finished baking some delicious cookies, and I’ve put them into this cookie jar. I’m going to leave this cookie jar right here on the table. But don’t dare sneak in here and eat any of them. Remember: God is watching you!”…

A monk was sitting on the bank of a river silently repeating his mantra. Nearby, a scorpion fell from a tree into the river. The monk, seeing it struggling in the water, bent over and pulled it out. He placed the scorpion back in the tree, but as he did so, the creature bit him on the hand. He paid no heed to the bite but went on repeating his mantra. A little while later, the scorpion again…

A scorpion wanted to pass to the other side or the river, but could not swim. So he asked a frog to take him on her back and swim with him to the other side. The frog refused, fearing that the scorpion would sting her in midstream, but the scorpion argued that he would do no such thing, as then he would drown and die himself. The frog understood, took the scorpion piggyback and started swimming.…

It was a stormy evening in ancient Tara when Patrick, the escaped slave turned saint, entered Murphy’s tavern. Exhausted from miles of preaching, he ordered whiskey. The bartender, Seamus, poured a stingy half-glass. Patrick slammed it down. “You’ve got a devil in your cellar eating your honesty! Fill it right, or I’ll drag it out!” Seamus laughed, but a growl rose from the barrels. Terrified,…

In a flat, monotone world divided by stark borders, three realms existed: the towering spires of the Land of Contrast, where rigid Black-and-Whites dwelled in absolute order; the misty Valley of Balance, home to wise Greys born from uneasy compromises; and the hidden Forest of Magic, alive with Wild Colours that danced in reds, blues, yellows, and purples. The Black-and-Whites thrived on…

In a misty mountain village, the elders taught the people to see the world in black and white. “Good is light,” they said, “evil is shadow. Choose one, shun the other.” The villagers nodded, drawing stark lines: friend or foe, right or wrong, day or endless night. Life became a cage of contrasts, safe but small. One dawn, a wanderer arrived, her eyes shimmering like dew-kissed leaves. She sat by…

Under a cluster of old oaks by a quiet lake, wise old mentor Alex sat with his student Jamie. A sharp-dressed executive strode up, tall and confident in a tailored suit. “Check him out,” Jamie whispered. “That’s real leadership—look at the vibe!” Alex shook his head. “Don’t judge by looks, kid. People see the suit, the swagger. True character shows in the heart.” The exec nodded and left. Next,…

Screenshot Once upon a time there was a family of mice. There was Mamá Ratón, Papá Ratón, and Brother and Sister Ratón. They all went on a picnic on a beautiful day.​ After a delicious lunch of medianoches (Cuban sandwiches) and lemonade, Mamá and Papá were smooching. Smmmooocch! “Eeewwww!” So Brother and Sister went and played some more. They spotted a big orange tabby cat behind the fence.…

Seven madmen went to a village for a big banquet. Late at night, they started walking back home, drunk! It started to rain. They took shelter under a tree. The next day they woke up and began to complain loudly. A passer-by stopped and asked, “What’s going on? ” “We fell asleep under this tree and now our arms and legs are all tangled up. We don’t know whose they are anymore.” Then the…