Discouragement | Edification | Encouragement | Failure | Motivation | Power | Speech | Weakness

A THOUGHTLESS WORD/A POWERFUL WORD
Rev. Gregory Oravec, O. S. B., sent the following stories to the editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: In the country church of a small village an altar boy serving the priest at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. The village priest struck the altar boy sharply on the cheek and in a gruff voice shouted: “Leave the altar and don’t come back!” That boy became Tito, the Communist leader. In the cathedral of a large city an altar boy serving the bishop at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. With a warm twinkle in his eyes the bishop gently whispered: “Someday you will be a priest.” That boy grew up to become Archbishop Fulton Sheen. And Rev. Gregory Oravec adds: “Oh, the power of words, be they written or spoken!” Reprinted from Pulpit Helps