The Awkward Saint, by Mike Finnerty.

There once was an awkward saint. This saint dearly loved the Lord, and dearly loved his church. One day while he was serving the communion trays in his church he accidentally stumbled and fell on his shoe laces, and spilt the elements on the floor. Being a kind man, he was deeply embarrassed as everyone in the church had seen it happen! After the service was over the Pastors and elders called him into his office to see what had happened, because they were distracted and didn't see how he fell. The saint said "My fellow brothers, I tripped on my shoes and couldn't recover. I deeply apologize for any misconduct or mistake that I comm

itted and I will try to be more mindful next time." The leaders agreed, and let him go with a warning.

The next weekend the awkward saint was making coffee for the church members, and dropped a glass canister full of coffee on the floor. Just then, the Pastor walked in and slipped on the coffee and broke his collar bone! Again, the saint was called into the elder's office and was told that he had become a liability to his church, and was asked to leave. Reluctantly, the awkward saint picked up his things and left the church never to come back!

As he was sitting on a park bench across from the church, a man who seemed to be homeless walked up to the saint, and noticed he was crying. He asked the saint why he was crying. The saint said "I was just told that I have become a liability to my church, and they asked me to leave. I am deeply saddened, it's that church right across from me." Just then, a light from Heaven shone on the homeless man and he took the appearance of Jesus. The saint could see the homeless man speaking, but the words he was hearing were the words of God.

The homeless man said, "That's OK my friend, I have been trying to get into that church all my life and every time I walk near it they close their doors and tell me to leave." The saint smiled and whispered to himself "Thank you Jesus."

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