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TheMagnanimousHeartofLanello–AesopSundayServiceChildren’sStory
Time:Tenminutesdependingonstorytellerdeliveryandchildren’sresponses.
Goodmorningandwelcome.Wealsowelcomeallthechildrenand
familiesonthebroadcast.Todaywecelebratetheascensionofour
belovedLanello.
MarkL.ProphetwasbornonDecember24,1918andmadehis
ascensionin1973fromColoradoSprings,CO.Hewasananointed
messengeroftheGreatWhiteBrotherhood.HefoundedTheSummit
Lighthousein1958underthedirectionoftheAscendedMasterEl
Morya.Heandhistwinflame,ourbelovedGuruMa,gaveusthe
wonderfulteachingsoftheascendedmastersandtaughtusaboutourI
AMPresence,ChristSelfandthreefoldinourheart.Theygaveus
teachingsonhowwecanbecomeascendedmasters,too.
TohonorLanellotoday,wearegoingtohearaboutoneofhis
embodiments,Aesop.Areyoufamiliarwiththatname?(Pause.)Yes,
heisthecreatorofthewonderfulfablesweenjoysomuch.
GuruMatoldusthatifwewanttoputonLanello’smastery,we
mustlearnabouthispreviousincarnations.Shesaidthattoknowjust
aboutthefactsisnotenough.Totrulyunderstandtheessenceofa
virtueoranattainmentortheheartfireofanascendedmaster,wemust
gobacktothepointwherethevirtuewasforgedandwon,wherethe
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souldemonstratedcourage,fearlessness,whereaparticulargiftfrom
God,uniqueinthatlifetime,wasoutplayedtoitsfullest.
Aswelistentoourstorytoday,seeifyoucanrecognizethe
virtuesandattainmentthatAesophad.
Let’slistentoourstorynow.
Aesop
Accordingtolegend,Aesopwasbornmute,meaninghewasn’t
abletospeak.Hewassmallinsizeandhisbodyunpleasanttolookat.
HewasaGreekslave,andalthoughhismasterandothersfirstsawhim
asafool,theydiscoveredthathehadwisdomfargreaterthantheirs.It
wasthisexpressionoftheChristmindthateventuallywonAesophis
freedom.Wecanseethiswisdominhisfablesaswellasinstories
abouthislife.
Asonestorygoes,someofAesop’sfellowslavesdecidedtoplaya
trickonhim.“Let’seatsomeofourmaster’sfigsandthenblameiton
Aesop,”saidone.
“Yes,hewillnotbeabletodefendhimselfashecannotspeakand
heisslowinthinking,”repliedanother.
So,thetwoslavestooksomeofthemaster’sfigs.Whenthe
masterdiscoveredthis,heroared,“Whoatemyfigs?”
Theslavesresponded,“Sir,itwasAesopwhostoleyourfigsand
atethem.”
However,Aesop,althoughhecouldnotspeak,managedtofinda
waytoprovehisinnocence.Withgestures,heindicatedthathewanted
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abasinofwarmwaterbroughttohim.Hethendrankitandcoughedup
allthatwasinhisstomach,showingthathehadnoteatenyetthatday.
Thenhemotionedtothetwoslavestodothesame,thusexposing
theirunkindtrick.Yousee,thetwothievesthoughttheycouldtrick
Aesop.Theyjudgedhimbyhisouterappearanceandnotbyhisinner
attainmentbecausetheywerelimitedintheirownheartdevelopment.
Afterthisincident,Aesopreturnedtoworkinthefieldsatwhich
pointtwomenapproachedhim.“DearSir,wearelostandtiredand
hungry.Canyouhelpus?”
Aesopwashappytohelpandledthemtotheshadeofatreeand
broughtthemsomemeat,fruitandwater.Hebadethemtorestand
thensetthemonthecorrectpath.“Thankyouforyourkindness,”they
saidastheycontinuedontheirjourney,restedandwellfed.
Laterthatdayafterworkingmanyhoursinthehotsun,Aesop
tookanapandfellasleepandhadadream.Inthisdreamhehearda
voicethankinghimforhiskindnesstostrangers.Asarewardhisvoice
wouldberestoredandhewouldreceivethegiftofstorytelling.Doyou
knowwhathappenedwhenhewokeup?(Pause)Hecouldspeak!From
thatpointon,hisstorieswerepasseddownorally,bywordofmouth,
fromgenerationtogeneration.Onlymanycenturieslaterwerethey
writtendown.
Inanotherincident,Aesop’smastersenthimonanerrandtoclean
thebaths.Amagistrateandhisaidshappenedtobepassingonthesame
roadandheapproachedAesop.“Whereareyougoing?”heasked.You
see,itwasunusualtoseeaslavewalkingalone,likeafreemanalongthe
street.
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Aesopanswered,"Idon'tknow."
“Whatdoyoumean,youdon’tknow?”demandedanannoyed
magistrate.HeorderedhismentotakeAesoptoprison.Ashewas
beingtakenawayAesopreplied,"Yousee,Itoldthetruth.Ididn'tknow
Iwasgoingtoprison,today."Soamusedbythiscomment,the
magistrateletAesopgo.
Manyyearslater,becauseofhiswit,humorandChristwisdom,
Aesop’smasterreleasedhimasaslaveandhebecameafreeman.
CONCLUSION:
WhatvirtuesandattainmentdoyouthinkAesophad?(Allow
childrentoanswer.)Yes,wisdom,kindness,courage,themindof
Christ.
TheentirelifeofAesopwastoexposethatwhichwasunrealin
ourthinkingandbehavior.Hewasabletodothisinahumorousway
throughstoriesthatmockthoseproudandconceitedpartsofpeople.
Hisstoriestaughtusmoralsorlessonsoflifethathelpusconnectwith
ourRealSelf.
LetusendtodaybylisteningtoourbelovedGuruMa,Lanello’s
twinflame,readanAesopfablecalled“FatherandSon”.Afterreadingit,
shetalksaboutAesop’slegacy,meaninghisstories,andshegivesusthe
mainmoralofallhisstories.Wewillthenriseandendbysaying3x
together,“Hail,Lanello!”
Playexcerpt.(1:49min.)
Thenstandandrecite,“HailLanello!”Thankthechildrenforsharing
inthestorytoday.
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