Mrs Davenport, his housekeeper, turned down his generous offer. She had no need of another radio in her home.
He asked a few parishioners whom he knew were too poor to own a radio but they said they didn’t need one.
So he put a little notice in the weekly Church Newsletter and … three weeks later, there were still no takers for this free radio seeking a good home with someone, somewhere.
On a sunny summer afternoon Father Ignatius put a small table at the end of the church’s car park, just by the gate, on the sidewalk. On the table he placed the old radio and a sign which read: “This radio is yours for FREE. Help yourself.”
He then went to his office on the first floor of Parish House and got on with some work. Every so often he looked out of the window and there, on the table, was the poor radio waiting to be taken away.
A few passers-by stopped, looked at the radio, some picked it up to see if it was broken, then they placed it back on the table and walked away.
An hour later and the radio was still there even though some fifty people must have passed by.
“Perhaps people can’t believe such a beautiful item is given away free!” thought the priest.
So he went out to the table, took away the notice and put another one saying: “Radio for sale. Only £10. Please call at the Parish House to pay.”
He thought to himself as he went back to his office, “If anyone offers to buy it I’ll give it to them for free!”
Moments later he looked out of the window and the radio was still there. Some people picked it up, examined it for a while, and then put it back again on the table and left.
The priest was about to give up when he noticed two youngsters approach the table.
“They look interested!” he thought.
They picked up the radio, examined it carefully, looked around to see if anyone was watching them, then ran away with the radio in hand.
Father Ignatius turned back into his office and looked at the large Crucifix hanging on the wall and said: “I don’t know about You … but sometimes I despair with the human race!”
Loved this story, Victor :) I can imagine this happening!
ReplyDeletegreat post
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, I am smiling at Father's remark to God.......:-)Hugs
ReplyDeleteFunny. I enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, Jackie, Bernie and Barb,
ReplyDeleteIt's a fact of life that people get suspicious of cheap or free items. On a Management Course once we were told that when Marketing an item you add all your costs and add at least 100% on top. For example if it costs you $5 to make a shirt you sell it for $10 or more. Because at just over $5 to make a small profit would be considered too cheap by the purchaser. People want to believe they bought real quality so they are willing to pay a high price for an item even if it is not really worth the high price asked for it. Hence inflation and the high cost of living. In the UK you can buy a small box of chocolates for £7 (over $11). I saw it this week - it only contained 20 or so small chocolates.
God bless.
Do you think that maybe people have trouble accepting God's Grace because it is free?????
ReplyDeleteAndie
Yep ... That's why many go through life punishing themselves, (sack cloth and ashes), or for ever lighting candles, offering flowers and so on. They believe God wants repayment for the great sacrifice He has done for us.
ReplyDeleteGod needs nothing from us, in the sense that He is not in any way lacking if we don't light candles etc... Nothing wrong with lighting candles or placing flowers as long as we do it as a sign of respect and reverance, rather than as a payment to god.
God bless you Andie.
...I would have been glad to have had it.
ReplyDeleteYep ... me too, Tom.
DeleteGod bless, my friend.