This story is told by the Jewish philosopher, Martin Buber. It's a simple story that many of us, in our busy lives, can relate to. Note how the prayer of the busy man is heard and how he is held dear by God... Note how important in the story is the time for Afternoon Prayer...The Baal Shem said:For us, Lent is time for Afternoon Prayer...
"Imagine a man whose business hounds him through many streets and across the marketplace the livelong day. He almost forgets there is a Maker of the world.
"Only when the time for Afternoon Prayer comes does he remember, 'I must pray.' And then, from the bottom of his heart, he heaves a sigh of regret that he has spent his day on vain and idle matters, and he runs into a bystreet and stands there and prays...
God holds him dear, very dear, and his prayer pierces the firmament.
Lent is a time-not an hour in a day but a season in a year- to remind us that it is time to stop and to pray... and to trust that God will hold each of us dear, very dear... and that our prayer, imperfect though it may be, will pierce the heavens...
Make time to pray... Take time to pray... Lent is the time, and the time is here...
