Prayer and Faith

“Is there anything more important than prayer?” asked the disciple to his master.

The master asked the disciple to go to a nearby bush and cut off a branch. The disciple obeyed. “Is the bush still alive?” asked the master.

“Just as alive as before,” answered the disciple.

“Now go and cut the roots,” said the master.

“If I do that, the bush will die,” said the disciple.

“Prayers are the branches of a tree, whose roots are called faith,” said the master. “There can be faith without prayer. But there can be no prayer without faith.”

-From Maktub by Paulo Coelho