Franciscan Villa

March 9th, 2020

2:00 P.M.

John 3. 1-17

 

A 14th-century monk announced to the people of his village that he was going to preach “THE GREATEST SERMON EVER PREACHED ON THE LOVE OF GOD.”

 

He urged EVERYONE to attend.

 

People were CURIOUS. 

 

They wondered what the “old monk” was going to SAY.

 

At the appropriate hour, the CATHEDRAL was FILLED with YOUNG and OLD ALIKE.

 

It was like the ENTIRE VILLAGE had turned OUT. 

 

EVERBODY was there.

 

Throughout THE MASS, everyone anticipated the monk’s GREAT SERMON.

 

HOWEVER, when it was TIME for his sermon, the monk DID NOT enter THE PULPIT.

 

All EYES were still UPON him FOLLOWING his every MOVEMENT.

 

INSTEAD, he went to the CANDLEABRA (of all places) … drew a LONG BURNING CANDLE from its stand…and walked to the highest part of the altar…where there hung A SCULPTURED FORM of JESUS NAILED to the CROSS.

 

ALL EYES continued to follow the old monk.

The monk SILENTLY lifted the candle until THE GLOW OF ITS FLAME rested just below one of Christ’s PIERCED HANDS.

 

He held the candle THERE with his BACK to the congregation.

 

THEN, shifting his weight, he moved the candle BELOW Jesus’ OTHER PIERCED HAND.

 

EVER SO SLOWLY he moved the candle to JESUS’ SIDE where the SPEAR had PIERCED IT.

 

FINALLY, the old monk DROPPED to his KNEES in prayer, holding the GLIMMERING LIGHT so that the glow FELL on JESUS’ NAIL PIERCED FEET.

 

After a moment, the monk STOOD UP and TURNED toward the people.

 

Holding the candle BEFORE HIM so that the people could see THE GENTLE TEARS RUNNING DOWN on his CHEEKS, he said, “My beloved people—this is MY sermon on the LOVE of God FOR YOU.”

 

And he DISMISSED them with THE FINAL BENEDICTION…

 

And the words…GO and LOVE OTHERS as Jesus has LOVED YOU!

 

There was not a DRY EYE in the place.

 

The MESSAGE had HIT HOME.

 

PEOPLE remember very FEW SERMONS…overtime.

OVER the YEARS we have ALL heard THOUSANDS of them. 

 

Some SPEAK to us, OTHERS DO NOT.

 

BUT this SERMON spoke VOLUMES…

 

PEOPLE REMEMBERED the old monk’s ACTIONS…

 

SOMETIMES actions speak louder than WORDS.

 

THEY recalled Jesus’ Sacrifice at GOLGOTHA. 

 

They ALL KNEW what JESUS had ENDURED.

 

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, they knew WHY he had done it.

 

HE DID IT for these, the least of my brothers and sisters…and he did it FOR ME.

 

FOR YOU.

 

The words of the Gospel of JOHN rang out in their hearts.

“For God so LOVED the WORLD that he GAVE his only BEGOTTEN SON.”

 

The words were TRUE.

 

He DID IT for ME!

 

Amen.