Once I had a dream. I was one of the men carrying the paralytic to be healed by Jesus. But we couldn't get into the house as it was so crowded. So we climbed the roof, dug a hole in it, and lowered the paralyzed man down to Jesus on a mat. The paralytic could not get to Jesus on his own; he had to have someone carry him to Jesus. When I woke up, I realized I am still that man. For many can not get to Christ, His love, mercy, peace, enlightenment, salvation on their own. So others carry them to Christ, by their prayers.
Another time I had a dream. All my prayers, meditation, contemplation, liturgies, Psalmody, chanting the Jesus prayer, my entire spiritual effort added up to one raindrop in a thirsty land. I was sad, as all this good intention seemed to accomplish so little. But then I noticed others had the same intention; the intention to do good for another, to be incarnational, to be a bodhisattva. Their good intentions added up to one raindrop, each and every one. The Dalai Lama, Shakyamuni, Jesus, Mary each were many raindrops. Every one who went to Mass last weekend, or Divine Liturgy, or who prayed for another, each act became a raindrop. Soon, all these raindrops added up to a small creek, which joined another creek from other lands and faiths to make a small river; then with others who had prayed or meditated centuries before, who had good intentions from long time past. And soon the river merged with other rivers and finally became an ocean. The raindrops were indistinguishable from another, as they formed mighty waves. The ocean was not a solitary raindrop, but could not exist without each and every one.
Last night I had a dream. There was a great treasure chest, very large and old, but locked firmly shut with huge chains and locks. I was sad as it appeared we'd never know the treasure inside. But mindfulness was the key, a key that easily opened each and every lock and chain. It was through being mindful that the chest was opened. And inside, it truly was filled with treasure: love, joy, peace, wisdom, compassion, beauty, patience, kindness, mercy, goodness, gentleness, meekness, faithfulness, self-control, humility, pure prayer, pure contemplation, pure intention, integrity, stillness, the Tao, pure desire, contentment, honesty, bodhicitta, sympathetic joy, metta, equanimity, pure awareness, gratitude, devotion, trust, appreciation, pure consciousness, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, the end of suffering, no more tears or sadness, bliss. And all this was opened to the world, simply through mindfulness.
