The Two Monks at the River
Theme: Forgiveness, Letting Go, and Moving Forward
Two older monks were traveling together on a long pilgrimage. Their strict vows forbade them from speaking to or touching women.
As they approached a swollen, muddy river, they saw a young woman sitting on the bank, weeping. She needed to cross to get to her village but was terrified of the rushing water. Without a word, the older monk scooped the woman up in his arms, carried her safely across the river, set her down on the other side, and continued his journey.
The younger monk was furious. He seethed with anger for miles, unable to believe his companion had so casually broken their sacred vows. Finally, after hours of walking in tense silence, the younger monk exploded. "How could you do that? You know we are not allowed to touch women! You carried her in your arms!"
The older monk looked at him with profound peace. "Brother," he said softly, "I set that woman down on the riverbank hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?"
Reflection
How often do we carry the heavy weight of grudges, past offenses, and anger long after a situation has ended? Being truly sorry and forgiving others means setting the burden down. We cannot walk freely toward God if we are constantly choosing to carry the heavy stones of yesterday’s resentments.