Eye - 14 February 2014

From striking stories to seventeenth century houses

Missed a trick?

What does ‘community’ mean? How important are the tiny moments? What impact does the way we treat others have?

Jill Allum, of Beccles Meeting, was struck by a story recently and got in touch to share some of its insights:

‘I’m just reading M Scott Peck’s The Different Drum for the first time and I haven’t got further than the prologue. Wow! Have we Quakers missed a trick? It sounds so simple, but is it? – the creation of “true community”.

‘He tells a story. A monastery is dying with only five old monks, all over seventy, left. In the surrounding woods lives a rabbi as a hermit. The abbot goes to ask his advice. The only thing the rabbi can say is, “The Messiah is one of you”.

‘The abbot returns and the monks begin to ask themselves, “Who is the Messiah?” “Is it the abbot?” “Is it the crochety one, who’s often right?” “Is it the quiet nobody, who appears when you need him?” “Is it me, no, it couldn’t be me?”

‘And they begin to treat each other with extraordinary respect, and to treat themselves with extraordinary respect.

‘And people came to visit, and young monks came, and, thanks to the rabbi’s gift, the monastery became “a vibrant centre of light and spirituality”.’