I met two priests at a dinner once. By their behavior, any pagan would have assumed that they worshipped different, even antipodal, gods.

One of the priests was a blowhard, and I put him in his place because he used his station to step on others in advancing himself within the conversation. The other priest was quiet and gently unassuming. At the close, after I had regaled the party with my wit and charm, this gentle priest gave me his hand and blessed me. A surge of power (I can't describe it in any better fashion) traveled up my arm and suffused my mind and heart with an overwhelming sense of well-being. I had been blessed...in the old tradition of being blessed. While he didn't say much else, I knew him then to be a Man of God, a man so well centered that he did not hide his face with masks nor weight himself down with the chains of vanity. No tuxedoes or pistols for this man. He had made contact with that center within himself where all power lies, and he used that knowledge in the service of others.

That power lies within each of us, at the core of us. However, each lie we utter in stepping on others or in advancing ourselves moves us away from that center until eventually we can't even recognize ourselves anymore. And then we wonder, on some lonely Saturday night, why our significant others deserted or abandoned us. It may just be, as the song says, that they never left: we just faded away.

I know a Catholic priest like the quiet one you described. I consider myself to be truly blessed to have known him.

i have no problem with that kind of being self-centered. it's the self importance that i have the issue with.

lovely and inspiring,,thank you

How nice of you to think so. I thought most people would take me to the woodshed instead

I know. It was a play on words. I can see you came here fighting mad, ready to deal with anyone who thought it was OK to be self-centered. Gotcha.

If you put down the gun and use the "quote" button, we will know who you are talking to.

That power that lies at each of our cores that you speak of, is know to us Christians as the Holy Spirit, who God puts there when we accept His Son Jesus as our Lord and Savior.The Holy Spirit is there to lead,guide and direct us in our pathes to do the will of God,according to His word.It is wonderful that you came in direct contact with Him.

Battery-operated priests. My uncle works in that factory. He says sometimes a live wire is attached to the skin-like cover, and it jolts the faithful.

My uncle said that in one severe case, when an Energizer priest visited Mother Theresa, and they simultaneously blessed each other, the jolt she got from the priest was so powerful that her eyes popped out, went like yo-yos for a minute, and then came back into their sockets just in time for feeding the Holy Spirit that lived in her head dinner.

The Vatican only semi-condones Energizer Priests. They don't like the marketing, but the priest shortage is so severe in RC dioceses that they put up with this gimmick.

Battery-operated priests. My uncle works in that factory. He says sometimes a live wire is attached to the skin-like cover, and it jolts the faithful.

Laugh if you will. In fact, your comment brought a smile on my face. Quite well written. A bit of the cynic but quite all right.

Wux always posts like that. He wasn't making fun of you. Well, he was. But, if you look back through his posts, you'll find every post he makes is similar. I, personally, love his posts and he cracks me up. But, it seems you got it and have a good sense of humor.

Thanks, Ruth. (Smile, flower, blush, banana. )

You're welcome.

big smile, flowers, drinker.

Hmm