The Temple Bells*

SONG OF THE BIRD

ANTHONY DE MELLO, SJ

The temple was built on an island and it held a thousand bells. Bells big and small, fashioned by the finest craftsmen in the world. When the wind blew or a storm raged, all the bells would peal out in a symphony that would send the heart of the hearer into raptures.

But over the centuries the island sank into the sea and, with it, the temple bells. An ancient legend said that the bells continued to peal out, ceaselessly, and could be heard by anyone who would listen. Inspired by this legend, a young man traveled thousands of miles, determined to hear those bells. He sat for days on the shore, facing the vanished island, and listened with all his might. But all he could hear was the sound of the sea. He made every effort to block it out. But to no avail; the sound of the sea seemed to flood the world.

He kept at his task for weeks. Each time he got disheartened he would listen to the village pundits, who spoke with unction of the mysterious legend. Then his heart would be aflame…only to become discouraged again when weeks of further effort yielded no results.

Finally he decided to give up the attempt. Perhaps he was not destined to hear the bells. Perhaps the legend was not true. It was his final day, and he went to the shore to say goodbye to the sea and the sky and the wind and the coconut trees. He lay on the sand, and for the first time, listened to the sound of the sea. Soon he was so lost in the sound that he was barely conscious of himself, so deep was the silence that the sound produced.

In the depth of that silence, he heard it! The tinkle of a tiny bell followed by another, and another and another…and soon every one of the thousand temple bells was pealing out in harmony, and his heart was rapt in joyous ecstasy.

Do you wish to hear the temple bells? Listen to the sound of the sea.

Do you wish to catch a glimpse of God? Look intently at creation.

CELERY

*Any article or material that I do not personally write usually falls under either the contributor’s post or elsewhere on this website.

My son and his wife invited me to join them for a short break to Balesin Island. It was very relaxing and liberating because I did not have to wear my mask all the time, considering it was at the height of the pandemic.

When I came home, I realized how strong God’s presence was within me throughout the entire time I was there and most especially when I took pictures of the place instinctively. My sister pointed out how my experience had tied in so well with what Anthony de Mello, SJ had written a long time ago about The Temple Bells, from his book, SONG OF THE BIRD.