|









| |
Today I want to tell you the story of a church that was
built way in the highest mountains of Switzerland. It was a beautiful church
that had been built with great care by the villagers who lived nearby. But there
was one thing that the church didn't have. Can you think of what that might have
been? It didn't have any lights. You couldn't just go into the church and switch
on the lights like we do here. Yet every Sunday evening the people who lived on
the mountain-side opposite the tiny church saw something magic happen. The
church bell would ring and worshippers would wend their way up the mountainside
towards the church. They would enter the church and then all of a sudden the
church would light up brightly. What do you think happened? Yes - you see the
people had to bring light with them - so they brought lanterns. When they
arrived at church they would light their lanterns and hang them around the
church on pegs set in the walls, so the light would spread all around. If only a
few people came to church the light would be very dim because their would only
be a few lanterns. But when lots of people came to church there would be plenty
of light. After the service the villagers would take their lanterns home. At
this time, to those who watched from a distance, it was as if a stream of light
poured out of the church and over the mountainside. For many it was a sign that
all was well. God's light was with them and in them. The only time the little
church lit up was when people were there. That's when it truly became a church.
That's when the light shone most brightly
I found this story in the liturgy for the 5th Sunday of Year A (1999) by Rev RJ
Fairchild. A link to his website is in my page of links.
|