To demonstrate his point he put two glasses on the pulpit. One contained water and one contained whisky. He then produced a small box containing two worms which he had dug from the garden before the service began.
He placed a worm in the glass of water and it floated about merrily. He then put the second worm in the glass of whisky and after wriggling for a few seconds it died.
“What does this tell you?” he asked.
A member of the congregation replied, “If you have worms drink whisky”.
There’s a message in this joke for us Christians. How often, whilst well-meaning, we try to tell others about our beliefs and end up confusing them and perhaps, un-wittingly, driving them away from God rather than towards Him.
It is worth remembering that not everyone is at the same stage of knowing God as perhaps we are.
You wouldn’t feed a new-born baby pizza or French fries; would you? So let’s go easy with new Christians or people who have yet to know the Lord as we do.
The best way to teach Christianity is by living it as Jesus would want us to.
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” St Francis of Assisi.
Was there more to the response? I understand what you are saying, but do not get the joke.
ReplyDeleteHi Lulu,
DeleteThanx for your comment and your return visits. I really appreciate them.
The joke is: The priest was trying to teach about the evils of drinking. Yet a drunk in church missed the point altogether and thought that if you have worms drink would kill them.
In real life, we too sometimes tend to send the wrong message to non-Christians by the way we preach and what we tell them. For example, it is no point, (I believe), in telling a non-Christian about the true Presence of Christ in the Eucharist if he has difficulties in believing in the existance of God.
I have witnessed discussions where eager Christians/Catholics tried to do just that.
Thanx Lulu for starting this discussion. God bless you.
OH--I get it now--missed the inflection in your voice to know the church goer had been celebrating communion before services! Yes--I agree we love to wax theological when the important truth is so simple---and then again so complex!
DeleteThanx Lulu. God bless.
Delete((( Yet a drunk in church missed the point altogether )))
ReplyDeleteVictor #1, is that your way of saying that our Catholic Church has a lot of Catholics who claim to be faithful Catholics who think they are following "Jesus" but really are not and we should be careful how we tell them?
Just asking?...lol
God Bless
No ... Let me explain what I am saying.
DeleteFirst the joke: The preacher was preaching about the evil of drink, whereas the parishioner misunderstood this as drink is good for you if you have worms.
Now the message behind the joke. When we Christians or Catholics go out preaching the Good News to all people, we should be careful that not everyone is in tune with us. Some may not undertsand what we are saying. Best to preach about Christ through our good example of the way we live.
Thank you for your comment. God bless you and yours.
((( He then put the second worm in the glass of whisky and after wriggling for a few seconds it died.)))
ReplyDeleteVictor #1, could you not have simply said, "Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it? Lk 8:4-15.
I hear YA! Yes I could have but where's my chuckle for the day?...lol
God Bless
I hear YA!
DeleteGod bless.
Very clever as always, Victor. And an excellent reminder for all of us. The quote from St Francis is one of my favorite of all time.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you.
Thank you Michael for your encouragement. God bless you.
DeleteVictor, very good word re: everyone is not at the same stage of knowing. And I love the ticking side bar clock reminding us it's time to pray. : - )
ReplyDeleteKeeping you in my prayers.
Blessings +
Nice to see you visiting again Caroline. Thank you. I appreciate your prayers.
DeletePraying for you.
God bless.