Did I want to go to church this morning?I had been up drawing until 4 am in the morning,I deserved to sleep in, right!?Well, I'm up now... It can only do me good to go...I'll catch up on some sleep during the sermon...(a little trick: say "amen" from time to time so it looks like you're praying)Seated cozily in my favorite place as usual, I wasn't expecting anything special from this service.I'd already come up with a highly spiritual thought for my neighbor:- "the worship isn't very enthusiastic this morning, don't you think?":(perfect! Something to send us to sleep before the sermon!)What's that! Ah, shoot! It's the local misfit, coming to sit down beside me!He looks like a pirate who's seen better days, with his wooden leg (really), and an eye that flickers from the smoke from his cheap cigarillo.He smells of beer and mumbles in his beard (loudly, but nobody understands him)...During the sermon, he tells me his life story (no chance for a nap, then!)Like scouts from the Army of justice and decorum, the listeners in the row in front have noticed us.They're already throwing glances at us from over their shoulder, threatening to confront us with anundeserved "shhh" to add to my embarrassment.Then there was a worship song about God's tenderness towards us...Suddenly, everything stopped in my head,I was moved... I saw a tear running from the pirate's eye, he'd been moved by this song.That evening, at the sleepset of my little Océane-Aimée,I was reading a story from the Bible (chosen at random):Luke 7.36: (to make it short, I'll write my own version, ok?)It's the story of Simon the Pharisee (a pillar of the Church) who had invited Jesus to dinner.What's that! Ah, shoot! A prostitute, who looks like something the cat's dragged in, has wrecked the atmosphere, throwing herself at Jesus' feet,dampening his feet with tears, drying them with her hair, pouring out someChanel-type scent on him and covering his feet with a thousand kissesHOW DISGRACEFUL! The Pharisees are outraged, how could Jesus let somethinglike this happen? Good grief! ...Jesus said:"Simon, you didn't give me water for my feet(in those times they drank using their feet. At least I think they did)you didn't kiss me, and you didn't even pour perfume upon my head(this could be a custom we could start up at work for whenever our colleagues' have body odor issues)but she did...She did this because I gave her forgiveness for her many sins and she istremendouslygrateful,but as for you, I don't mean anything to you, that's why you're not gratefultowards me"WHAM!This morning, who was I more like, Simon or the repentant prostitute?Forgive me Lord... I've been going to church for years...But I pray that from now on, every single time,I will be truly grateful towards you and worship you with real sincerity...Alainwww.auderset.com
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