The Bishop's Gift

Once a little church had fallen upon hard times. The rector and precious few were left in the congregation—most over 60 years old.

In the mountains near the church there lived a retired Bishop. It occurred to the rector to ask the bishop if she could offer any advice that might just save the church. 

The bishop welcomed the priest and commiserated. “I know how it is” she said, “the spirit has gone out of so many people. Many churches are struggling—our sense of community seems to be fading.” So the Bishop and priest wept together, and spoke quietly of deep things.

The time came when the priest had to leave. They embraced. “It has been wonderful being with you,” said the priest, “but I have failed in my purpose for coming. Have you no piece of advice that might save our little church?”

The Bishop simply replied, “I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is among you.”

The rector, returning to the church, told the small congregation what the bishop had said. In the months that followed, the church members pondered the words of the bishop. “The Messiah is among of us?”  As they thought about this, they all began to treat each other more kindly on the off chance that, that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off, off chance that he or she might be the Messiah, they also began to treat themselves with extraordinary care.

As time went by, people visiting the little church noticed the aura of gentle kindness that surrounded the members of the small church; their care for one another and everyone in the community.  Hardly knowing why, more people began to come back to the church. They began to bring their friends, and their friends brought more friends. Within a few years, the small church had once again become a thriving church, thanks to the bishop’s gift.