Hi rmj --- long-time reader over many years. Will you link me to your post on the Power of Powerlessness? It reminds me of a story Sr. Joan Chittister tells. Happy to link you to that if you like (it's from a talk she gave at Chautaunqua). Thanks!
This is probably more (or less) than you wanted, but this is what I came up with searching for "powerlessness" on the blog.
Pretty sure the connection to Sr. Chittister has been made before (not by me!), but thanks for the connection again.
Hi rmj, That did it! My search terms were not specific enough I guess. Yours were, and I found this from January 3, 2005:
ReplyDeletehttps://rmadisonj.blogspot.com/2005/01/power-of-powerlessness.html
"Diogenes sez (in the comments)" ::: Diogenes was/is me! And here we are 20 years later; same place. The story Sr. Joan tells goes something like this:
There was a warlord who was so powerful that he relished in the very thought of capturing and torturing any who stood in his path. After murdering and plundering a village, he bellowed to his generals: "no one remains alive in this place! I have come and conquered all!
One of his generals meekly said to him, "sir, there is but one old man in the temple who refuses to submit."
Furious, the warlord commanded, "Bring him to me immediately!"
The old man was presented to the warlord after being dragged through what remained of the village. The warlord spit words at the old man, "DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM? I AM THE ONE WHO CAN RUN YOU THROUGH WITH A SWORD WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE!"
The old man, resolve and calm streaming from his very being, responded, "do you not know who I am? I am the one who can let you run me through with a sword without batting an eye."
This, the power of powerlessness...
Same as it ever was, I suppose.