A Modern Parable About Prayer

A Modern Parable About Prayer

A large ship was wrecked during a storm and only two men survived and swam to a desert island. The two survivors looked around them and realised they had no recourse except to pray to God. To find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island and was able to eat fruit. The other man's piece of land was barren.

After a week the first man became lonely and decided to pray for a wife. The next day, a ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman, who swam to his side of the island. On the other side of the island there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes and more food. The next day, by some miracle, all these things were provided for him and the woman. However, the second man received nothing.

Finally the first man prayed for a ship so that he and his wife could leave the island and return to civilisation. In the morning, a ship was anchored off his side of the island, and the crew were waving at him.

The first man and his wife boarded the ship and decided to leave the second man on the island. They considered him unworthy to recieve God's blessings because none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship began to leave, a voice boomed from heaven, saying, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"These blessings are mine alone," said the first man, "because I was the one who prayed for them. His prayers were not answered, but mine were, so he doesn't deserve anything."

"You are completely mistaken,"said God. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If it hadn't been for his prayer, you would have received none of the things that you did. He prayed that all your prayers would be answered."

Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of himself. ~ Mother Teresa