The First Great End: Proclaim the Gospel

Kicking around the Net this afternoon and discovered this interesting story.

I read this week about an abbot of a monastery who called a novice into his office and instructed him to give the homily at the next morning’s chapel.
Well, the novice was struck with fear – but the abbot insisted.

So the next morning at chapel he stood in the pulpit with his hands trembling — his knees knocking – and his voice was quivering. There was a long pause before he first spoke – and then he asked a question: “Do you know what I’m going to say?” They had no idea, so all of their heads shook “no” almost in unison, as if it were choreographed. The novice said, “Neither do I. Let’s stand for the benediction.”

Well, the abbot did not appreciate this. He called the young novice into his office and said, “You must do this. It’s for your own good. Tomorrow is your day again. Be prepared, and this time do it right.”

The next day was almost an exact repeat of the day before. All the brothers sat there before him. His hands shook — his knees knocked – and his voice trembled. After a long pause he again asked: “Do you know what I’m going to say?”

Well, after the previous day’s experience, they had a pretty good idea. All of their heads went up and down – “Yes” – they thought they knew what he was going to say.
“Then there’s no need for me to tell you” the novice said. “Let’s stand for the benediction.”

The abbot was now very angry. He brought the young novice into his office and said, “If you do that again, you are going to be in solitary confinement, bread and water for thirty days and any other punishment that I can think of. Tomorrow morning give the homily; do it right.”

Well, the third day, all the monks were there to hear what he would say, and it was, again, almost an exact repeat. He stood, trembled, voice quivered; and after the long silence, he asked, “Do you know what I’m going to say?”

After three days of this, about half of them had a pretty good idea and they nodded their heads up and down. Yes, we know. But the other half noticed the switch from day to day, and they really weren’t sure what was going to happen; and so they shook their heads back and forth. No, we don’t.

The novice observed this, then said, “Let those who know tell those who don’t. Let us stand for the benediction.”

Friends – that is a simple definition of evangelism. It’s a simple definition of this first “Great End” of the Church – the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind.

Pastor Hayes also has a wonderful quote from Henri Nouwen on spiritual dryness. But go check it out yourselves.