384- Gather the Feathers

A peasant was angry against his friend and called him names. However, when he went home he calmed and was sorry for what he said, How did I utter such a word? I'll go to my friend and apologize to him."

He actually apologized to his friend. His friend accepted his apology; yet, he was not at rest. He met the priest and made confession. Seeing him not at ease, the priest said to him, "If you want to be comforted fill your pockets with feathers and put a feather in front of each house in the village."

In obedience, he did what he was ordered to do and returned joyfully to his father confessor. The father said to him, "Gather the feathers again."

As he went gathering the feathers, he found but few, as the wind lifted them away. He returned in great sadness. Then, his father confessor said to him, Each word you utter is like a feather which you put in front of your brother's house. It's easy to do that; yet, it's very difficult to take it back to your mouth as if you didn't utter it."

Therefore, every morning, we lift up our hearts to God crying with the psalmist,

"Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: أجمع ريش الطيور.

+ Your Holy Spirit sanctifies the soul.

He only is able to protect my mouth,

And sanctifies my depth and my words.

+ I thought that words could not hurt me.

However, I realized that they destroy me.

Their wounds are graver than those of a sword.

Who can save me from my wrong words?

+ Grant me an inner mouth to speak in my depth,

To share the heavenly their talks and praises.

May it be a tool used by Your Holy Spirit.

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Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

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