THE ANGEL AND THE MONK
EPISODE1 In a monastery lived a certain monk for 18yrs without coming out.The monk, though a holy man, sometimes questions why God should create people beautiful while others very ugly, some too tall, others too short, some too fat others tinny: why God should make some people to be basking in wealth,while others living in abject poverty etc. This disparity was giving him a serious cause for concern and caused him sleepless nights.
One day, an angel of God appeared to him and said ”my friend,you have lived here for a long time without coming out. Now come with me lets take a walk round the town so that you can refresh your memory with the city life. The monk agreed and they set out. As they were going,they saw a group of people rejoicing and celebrating. The angel said to the monk”enter there” They both entered. The owner of the house received them warmly.
He offered them food and drink. After they had eaten (though the angel did not eat but was pretending to be eating) the angel asked the man ”what is this celebration all about?” The man replied ”the man i had been in enemity with for the past 10 years, called me and made peace with me. He gave me this golden cup as a sign of our reconciliation, so i called my relations and friends to rejoice with me, for this former enemy of mine has made peace with me’ ‘The angel nodded and said ”Thank God. It’s more rewarding to be at peace with people than to keep malice. Go ahead with your celebration but we shall be taking our leave now” The man bade them farewell’ ‘thank sirs for your visit, i appreciate, farewell”.
The angel and the monk left. Somewhere along the road, the angel dipped hand inside his pocket and brought out that man’s golden cup and showed to the monk and said ”i have stolen that man’s golden cup” The monk was really surprised at this. ”what!” the monk exclaimed. ”why did you do such a devilish deed? That man was kind to us.Even without knowing who we were, he received us into his house, gave us food and drink. why pay him back with evil?” The angel told him to keep quiet and stop asking foolish questions. Helplessly and sheepishly, the monk moved on and the angel followed.
What do you think of this angel?
EPISODE 2 When they got to one bungalow,the angel said to the monk"Go into that house" The monk obeyed.When they entered,they saw an elderly man in his late 60's and a small boy of about 12 years of age.The man welcomed them and offered them the much entertainment he could afford.As they were about to leave,the angel asked the man''who is this boy?'' ''He is my last born''replied the man. "Oh,i love him so much.he is smart"The angel said.
The old man smiled at the angels kind gesture."he is a good boy.he is really trying"the old man said smilingly.The angel looked at the monk and continued"We want to go to Agbilaka town,but we don't know the way.could you please help us out?" The old man smiled again and said"The town is not far from here anymore.Its a trekkable distance.Once you come out from here,take your right.don't turn right or left until you get to a river.There,take one boat and get across and that is the town.
The angel pleaded with the man to release the little boy,to show them the way,because the were strangers and knew nowhere.The old man agreed.He told his son to go with them and show them the way. "We are grateful,The angel said,Good bye and God bless"
The boy then escorted the angel and the monk.When they got to the river,the boy said to them''you will take a boat from here and get across,that is the town''
The angel pleaded with the man to release the little boy,to show them the way,because the were strangers and knew nowhere.The old man agreed.He told his son to go with them and show them the way. "We are grateful,The angel said,Good bye and God bless"
The boy then escorted the angel and the monk.When they got to the river,the boy said to them''you will take a boat from here and get across,that is the town''
The angel pleaded with boy to help them cross the river because they are scared of water.The boy agreed and went into the boat with them.Mid way into the water,the angel held the boy's throat,throttled him and threw him into the river. On seeing what had happened,the monk shouted"God deliver me from the hands of the devil! God deliver me from the hands of the devil! "Who are you calling devil?"the angel asked furiously."Common shut up your mouth and keep going.you don't know anything" "You killed that innocent...."the monk wanted to argue further in gripe. "I said keep quiet!"the angel roared at him."keep going!"
EPISODE 3 After crossing the river,the monk asked the angel"Are you sure you are an angel of God?" "Of course i am.Keep moving"The angel replied. Feeling trapped,the monk moved on and the angel followed him.when they got to one thatched-roofed house,the angel said to the monk"Go in there" The monk entered and the angel followed him.There,they met another poor elderly man in his early 60s.The man was overwhelmed with joy on seeing the guests.He entertained them with the exiguous and insipid food he had.They ate as usual(though the angel did not eat,he only pretended to be eating)
After they had eaten,they thanked the man for his kind gesture.They stayed for a while and then bade him good-bye. The man saw them off.No sooner had he(the man)gone back to his house,than the angel said to the monk "please wait for me here,i am coming"
He went back and set the poor man's house and fire and ran back to the monk and said"hurry,lets get out of this place!"They hastened their steps.But as they were going,the angel said to the monk "look back" The monk looked back and saw a heavy smoke going up air.
"I have set that man's house on fire"the angel said to the monk. "Which man?"asked the monk. "The poor man we have just left his house of course"The angel replied.
This month looked up above as if calling upon the heavens to come and witness the attrocities that the so called angel has been comitting. "Why?"the monk asked furiously.
"God told me to do so"the angel replied. "God told you to do evil?"the monk asked angrily.he was bewildered.
"Who told you it's evil?"the angel asked in return with a smile playing on his face.
"It is 100% evil,devilish and wicked"the monk replied. The angel laughed."It's alright.lets continue our journey" The monk refused."take me back to the monastry.i cant continue this journey with you.you are evil.take me back"the monk cried.
He went back and set the poor man's house and fire and ran back to the monk and said"hurry,lets get out of this place!"They hastened their steps.But as they were going,the angel said to the monk "look back" The monk looked back and saw a heavy smoke going up air.
"I have set that man's house on fire"the angel said to the monk. "Which man?"asked the monk. "The poor man we have just left his house of course"The angel replied.
This month looked up above as if calling upon the heavens to come and witness the attrocities that the so called angel has been comitting. "Why?"the monk asked furiously.
"God told me to do so"the angel replied. "God told you to do evil?"the monk asked angrily.he was bewildered.
"Who told you it's evil?"the angel asked in return with a smile playing on his face.
"It is 100% evil,devilish and wicked"the monk replied. The angel laughed."It's alright.lets continue our journey" The monk refused."take me back to the monastry.i cant continue this journey with you.you are evil.take me back"the monk cried.
The angel patted him on the back and told him not to be afraid,that everything is fine."you are only a human being.you cannot the mind of God.keep moving"
EPISODE 4 They reached where they saw one rich man standing near his newly bought flashy car.The angel said to the monk"wait for me" The monk waited,while the angel approached the rich man and greeted, "Good day,sir"
"Good day"replied the rich man. "i guess you are the owner of this car"the angel said. "yes,i newly bought it" the rich man replied hilariously. "Great!"the angel exclaimed.He shook hands with the rich man and said"congratulations".He looked inside the car and nodded his head.
"this is indeed a beautiful car"the angel remarked.He then dipped hand inside his pocket and brought out that golden cup he stole from the first man and handed over to the rich man and said"i present this golden cup to you for being able to buy this car" "Thank you so much.i appreciate"the rich man took the cup,entered into the car and sped off.
"this is indeed a beautiful car"the angel remarked.He then dipped hand inside his pocket and brought out that golden cup he stole from the first man and handed over to the rich man and said"i present this golden cup to you for being able to buy this car" "Thank you so much.i appreciate"the rich man took the cup,entered into the car and sped off.
Meanwhile,the monk stood speechless,he couldn't believe his eyes"i thought you said you are from heaven?"he asked the angel."Yes i am,replied the angel,is anything the matter"
"So evil deeds started from heaven? Imagine all the atrocities you have been committing..."
"Watch your tongue.i have not committed any atrocity"the angel cautioned.
"Watch your tongue.i have not committed any atrocity"the angel cautioned.
"Why did you steal that poor man's golden cup and gave it to the man who is already rich? At least you should have left it for him to sell and make some money for himself and for the upkeep of his family"the monk argued."Listen,never you question the authorities of God.Before God allows anything to happen,there must be a reason"the angel convinced him and they continued their journey.
Not more than ten poles from there,they burst out at their starting point. "Stop here.This is the monastery,from where we started our journey.now,listen let me explain everything to you.you see,when those things were happening,you thought that i was being unfair and wicked.There is a reason for everything that happens.
EPISODE 5 The angel started explaining everything to the monk. “You see that man whose golden cup i stole, is crying now and looking for the cup everywhere. But he does not know that he is looking for his death. That his enemy who claimed to have reconciled with him did not actually reconcile with him. He(the enemy) has been looking for a way to kill the man, and when he couldnt find any, he put poison inside the cup and gave to him so that when he drinks with it, he would die.
That is why God sent me to take the cup away from the innocent man before he drinks with it and dies” The monk was speechless.he was beginning to see reasons. “As for the boy i killed,he is now in heaven.His father was a notorious criminal when he was young, and he was training the boy to be worse than himself. God then said to me, ‘Go and bring me that innocent boy now that his heart is still pure. As regards the man whose house i set on fire, he was very rich before.But God decided to take the riches away from him as a test of his faith, yet the man remains faithful to God.
Consequently, God asked me to set his house on fire because He(God)has filled under the house with gold, and not untill the house is destroyed,the man will not rebuild it. Now, when he will be rebuilding the house, he will find the gold. And after selling it,he will be ten times richer than he was. Do you think i love that rich man i gave the golden cup to? I have no love for him whatsoever; the man is the epitome of everything evil. He sponsors robbers and assasins, he has charms made with human beings, he seizes the lands of the poor especially widows, his workers are not paid, and other evils he commits. Today, God said that his cup is filled up.
As soon as he gets home now,he is going to drink with the cup and that means death for him. “Can you now see that God’s ways are different from the ways of man?” the angel asked the monk. The monk calmly nodded. “Now i have seen that there may be a reason why God created some people tall while others are shot, some people rich while others poor and so on. Thank you for showing me these things” the monk said, nodding positively. “Now go back to your monastery and question God’s activities no more” the angel finally said and disappeared. There is a reason for everything that happens.God’s ways are different from the ways of man
THE END
Wow!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's so interesting story