...och använd ord ibland - om det är nödvändigt.
Inte ordagrant så - men på ett ungefär - sa Franciskus. Fågelpredikanten.... Vargvännen.
Den här berättelsen påminde mig om det.
***
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending
services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher
decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone,
sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his preachers
visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the
fireplace and waited.
The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave
silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning
logs. After some minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully
picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the
hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone
ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and
then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The preacher
glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly
stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the
middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow,once more with the
light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear
running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and
especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.'
We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little.
Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones
left unspoken.
(Unfortunately I don't know who wrote this story, it's been circulating in mails for awhile - if you recognize it and knows who should have the credit for it - please let me know...)Etiketter: English, kyrkan, predikan |
