|
牧师在他的教区工作了25年，深受大家的敬爱。在举行他退休晚宴前，大家推选了当地政府的最高领导，同时也是圣会里的一员,来出席晚宴并做简短陈词。但到了时候，那名政府领导却迟到了。在大家都在等的时候，牧师决定自己先说两句： "我对本教区的第一印象，是本教区的第一份忏悔中产生的。那时我还以为被安排到了一个非常糟糕的地方。那个人向我做忏悔，说他偷了一台电视,被警察拦住的时候，还险些谋杀了警察。他从父母那里偷钱，工作中挪用公款，和上司的家属关系暧昧，还吸食毒品等等。我震骇了。但随着时间的一点点过去，我发现并不是所有的人都和他一样，事实上，咱们教区的教民都很虔诚可敬。" 牧师这句话刚刚说完,政府官员恰好到达了，他先为自己的迟到道歉，之后就开始做自己的陈词。 "我将永远难忘我们牧师到来的第一天，”这位官员说道，“说实话，我真荣幸能够作为第一个向他忏悔的人。” Don’t Ever Be Late A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presen¬tation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed, so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited. “I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss’s wife, taken illegal drugs and so on. I was appalled. But as the days went on, I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, in¬deed ，come to a fine parish full of good and lov- ing people. ’， Just as the priest finished his talk, the politi¬cian arrived full of apologies at being late. He im¬mediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. “I’ll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived,” said the politician. “In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to him in confession. ’’ |
