A Fiery Sermon in Silence

THE SILENT SERMON

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.  After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.  Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor 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 pastor 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 pastor 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 pastor 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 will 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.


What is most valuable is not WHAT we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives.

Mother Teresa uses Famous Peyton Quote, "TheFamily that Prays Togther Stays Together

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP

I Prayed For You

Little Things that Matter in Life

Every Tear Has a Purpose

Good Fish Sold Here

Jack decided to open a new shop for selling fish. And he had a nice sign put up outside his shop which read, "Good Fish Sold Here".

A man walking by noticed the sign and suggested to him: "Obviously, you're selling fish here and not in Timbuktu. Why would you need to write "Here"? So Jack painted off "Here".

THE HOT WATER BOTTLE - From Africa

THE HOT WATER BOTTLE – A True Story By Helen Roseveare, Missionary to Africa

One night, in Central Africa, I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all that we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying, two-year-old daughter.

God doesn't Change

God is God:
🏽He doesnt care about *age*, no wonder he blessed Abraham.
🏽He doesnt care about *experience*, no wonder he chose David.
🏽He doesnt care about *gender,* no wonder he lifted Esther.
🏽He doesnt care about *your past*, no wonder he called Paul.
🏽He doesnt care about *your physical appearance*, no wonder he chose Zacchaeus
(the shortest one).

17 Sunday C: Liturgy

Greetings

Those are sons and daughters of God
who are led by the Spirit of God.
We have received a Spirit
who makes us God's children
and who make us cry out: Father!
May this Spirit be always with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. Speaking To Our FatherThe first lengthy prayer we learned as children, and the prayer we still pray most often, is probably the "Our Father." Is it more than a formula to us? Is it to us, as it was for Jesus, a word of warmth and tenderness, and a cry of trust and close relationship? With Jesus we stand here before our Father and with the Spirit in our hearts we call out: "Father, our Father!"