三    根    绿    枝   

 从    前    有    个    隐    士   ， 居    住    在    山    脚    下    的    一    片    森    林    里   ， 成    天    在    祈    祷    和    行    善    中    度    时    光   。 为    了    敬    奉    上    帝   ， 每    天    晚    上    他    都    要    扛    两    担    水    上    山   。 山    上    风    紧   ， 非    常    缺    水   ， 即    使    是    那    些    怕    人    的    野    鸟    也    会    在    空    中    盘    旋   ， 用    它    们    那    锐    利    的    眼    睛    来    寻    找    饮    料   ， 众    动    物    和    植    物    由    此    而    得    到    了    滋    补    和    浇    灌   。 由    于    这    隐    士    是    那    样    的    虔    诚   ， 上    帝    的    一    个    天    使    现    身    了   ， 每    天    跟    这    隐    士    上    山    去   ， 数    着    他    的    步    子   ， 等    他    完    工    后   ， 天    使    便    给    他    东    西    吃   ， 好    像    那    旧    时    的    预    言    家    按    上    帝    的    旨    意    由    乌    鸦    来    供    食    一    样   。 这    隐    士    始    终    是    那    样    的    虔    诚   ， 最    后    他    年    老    了   。 一    次    他    远    远    地    瞧    见    了    一    个    可    怜    的    罪    犯    被    带    上    绞    架   ， 只    听    他    喃    喃    自    语    道   ：" 那    人    是    罪    有    应    得   ！" 就    在    那    天    晚    上   ， 当    他    担    水    上    山    时   ， 经    常    伴    随    他    的    天    使    不    见    了   ， 后    来    也    没    给    他    送    来    食    物   。 他    害    怕    了   ， 连    忙    反    省    自    己   ， 心    想    自    己    准    是    犯    了    罪   ， 触    奴    了    上    帝   ， 但    左    思    右    想    都    不    知    道    那    儿    犯    了    罪   。 于    是    他    不    吃    不    喝   ， 躺    在    地    上   ， 日    夜    祈    祷   。 一    天   ， 他    又    在    森    林    里    悲    痛    地    哭    泣   ， 他    听    到    了    一    只    小    鸟    在    尽    情    的    歌    唱   ， 声    音    是    那    样    的    甜    美   ， 他    的    心    情    顿    时    更    加    忧    伤    了   ， 说   ：" 瞧    你    唱    得    多    高    兴   ， 上    帝    没    有    生    你    的    气   ， 唉   ！ 你    要    是    能    告    诉    我    我    怎    么    得    罪    了    他   ， 我    也    好    赎    罪   ， 那    样    我    的    心    才    会    快    活    起    来   。" 只    听    鸟    儿    发    话    了   ，" 你    做    了    不    义    之    事   ， 你    诅    咒    了    一    个    被    带    上    绞    架    的    罪    犯   ， 因    此    上    帝    动    怒    了   ， 只    有    他    才    有    裁    判    权    啊   ！ 不    过    只    要    你    悔    罪    改    过   ， 上    帝    会    饶    恕    你    的   。" 这    时    天    使    又    出    现    在    他    身    边   ， 手    拿    一    根    干    树    枝   ， 说   ：" 你    应    该    带    着    这    根    树    枝   ， 直    到    上    面    发    出    三    颗    绿    色    的    新    芽    来   ； 不    过    晚    上    睡    觉    时   ， 你    得    把    它    放    在    枕    头    下   。 你    还    得    挨    家    挨    户    地    去    讨    你    的    面    包   ， 不    能    在    同    一    所    屋    子    里    留    宿    超    过    一    夜   。 这    就    是    上    帝    对    你    的    惩    罚   。"

 隐    士    接    过    了    树    枝   ， 回    到    了    他    久    别    的    尘    世   。 他    吃    的    喝    的    只    是    人    家    门    口    得    到    的    施    舍   。 但    是    许    多    人    家    都    不    理    他    的    乞    讨   ， 有    些    人    家    干    脆    不    开    门   ， 因    而    他    有    时    连    一    点    面    包    也    得    不    到   。 有    一    天   ， 他    又    挨    家    挨    户    去    乞    讨   ， 可    从    早    到    晚    没    有    一    家    给    过    他    东    西   ， 没    有    一    户    愿    意    留    他    过    夜   ， 最    后    他    走    进    了    一    片    森    林   ， 发    现    了    一    个    人    造    的    洞   ， 洞    内    正    坐    着    个    老    婆    婆   。 于    是    他    说   ：" 好    心    的    老    婆    婆   ， 让    我    在    您    家    住    一    晚    吧   ！" 只    听    老    人    回    答   ：" 不    行   ， 既    使    我    愿    意    我    也    不    敢   ， 我    有    三    个    儿    子   ， 他    们    又    野    蛮    又    狠    毒   ， 他    们    现    在    出    去    抢    劫    去    了   ， 等    他    们    回    来    发    现    你    在    这    儿   ， 我    们    俩    就    完    了   。" 隐    士    说   ：" 让    我    留    下    来    吧   ！ 他    们    不    致    于    害    你    和    我    的   。" 老    婆    婆    菩    萨    心    肠   ， 被    他    说    动    了    心   。 进    去    后    隐    士    就    在    楼    梯    下    躺    下    了   ， 头    下    枕    着    这    树    枝   。 老    人    见    此    情    形    就    问    他    原    因   ， 他    告    诉    了    她    自    己    为    悔    罪    得    带    着    这    根    树    枝    四    处    流    浪   ， 晚    上    还    要    拿    它    做    枕    头   ， 并    说    曾    见    到    一    个    可    怜    的    罪    犯    被    带    上    绞    架   ， 自    己    却    说    他    是    罪    有    应    得   ， 于    是    触    怒    了    上    帝   。 老    人    听    完    就    哭    了    起    来   ， 只    听    她    说   ：" 如    果    上    帝    仅    为    说    错    一    句    话    就    惩    罚    你   ， 那    我    那    些    儿    子    在    接    受    上    帝    审    判    时   ， 又    该    是    什    么    下    场    呢   ？"

 半    夜    了   ， 强    盗    大    吵    大    嚷    着    回    家    了   。 他    们    点    上    了    火   ， 洞    内    立    刻    明    亮    了   ， 他    们    正    巧    发    现    楼    梯    下    躺    着    个    人   ， 便    勃    然    大    怒   ， 冲    着    他    们    的    母    亲    嚷    嚷   ：" 这    家    伙    是    谁   ？ 我    们    不    是    禁    止    收    留    任    何    人    吗   ？" 只    听    母    亲    说   ：" 别    动    他   ， 他    是    个    可    怜    的    人   ， 正    在    赎    他    的    罪    呢   ！" 强    盗    们    齐    声    问   ：" 他    干    了    什    么    啦   ？"" 老    家    伙   ，" 他    们    吼    道   ，" 给    我    们    讲    讲    你    的    罪    过   。" 于    是    老    人    爬    了    起    来   ， 原    原    本    本    告    诉    了    他    们    自    己    怎    样    因    一    句    话    而    触    怒    了    上    帝   ， 现    在    他    又    得    怎    样    来    悔    罪   。 他    的    这    番    话    可    把    强    盗    们    深    深    地    打    动    了   ， 他    们    对    自    己    干    过    的    一    切    感    到    了    害    怕   ， 开    始    仔    细    反    省   ， 诚    心    悔    悟   ， 决    心    改    过   。 隐    士    使    这    三    个    人    悔    悟    后   ， 又    回    到    楼    梯    下    躺    下    了   。 第    二    天    早    上   ， 他    们    发    现    他    已    经    死    了   ， 就    在    他    头    下    枕    着    的    干    枝    上   ， 高    高    地    长    出    了    三    根    绿    色    的    嫩    枝   。 原    来    上    帝    又    发    了    慈    悲   ， 把    他    收    上    了    天    堂   。

Concept and Helping Material