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Reverend Paul Ford: Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 30, Paragraph 22: 'Gladness of the heart is the light of Man.' Now, this is one of the 'rejoicing,' or 'happy' texts. A young member of our parish informed me that there are 800 such happy texts in the Bible. Well, she was wrong. There are, to be exact, 826. I know, because I stayed up most of last night counting them. I intend to read one every week. And that should take us, by my calculations, through sixteen years... if I'm around here that long. But I can promise you this, if I am here: our visits with God on Sunday are going to be happier, and more rejoicing too. What I have to say now is very difficult for me, but must be said. I look out to you now, and realize, after four years in this congregation, I don't even know you. I look out to you now, not as my congregation, but as people. And I say to myself, how sad it is to have missed those four years... four years when we could have been friends. I should have been looking for the good in you, and I... I failed you... and I apologize for this. God is forgiving, but it's not God's forgiveness I beg, it is yours. I'm not going to speak about this any more now. It's a lovely day outside. So let's go out and enjoy this Sunday for a change. And while you're out appreciating the sunlight, just give a little thought to who's sending it down to you
Full Transcript
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Apocrypha
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Ecclesiasticus 30
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Paragraph 22
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Gladness of the heart is the life of man
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Now this is one of the rejoicing
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or happy texts
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A young member of our parish pointed out to me
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that there are 800 such happy texts in our Bible
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Well she was wrong
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There are to be exact
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826
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I know because I stayed up
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most of last night counting them
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I intend to read one of them every week
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And that should take us according to my calculations
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through 16 years
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if I'm around here that long
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Well I can promise you this If I am here
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our visits with God on Sunday are going to be happier
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and more rejoicing too
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Uh
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Now what I have to say now
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is very difficult for me
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but it must be said
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I look out to you now
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and realize
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after four years in this congregation
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I don't even know you
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I look out to you now not as my congregation
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but as people and I say to myself
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how sad it is to have missed those four years
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Four years when we could have been friends
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I should have been looking for the good in you
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and I I failed you
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And I apologize for this
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God is forgiving
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but it's not God's forgiveness I beg it is yours
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I'm not going to speak about this anymore now
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It's a lovely day outside
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so let's go outside and enjoy this Sunday for a change
00:02:36.001 --> 00:02:38.999
And while you're out appreciating the sunlight
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just give a little thought to who's sending it down to you
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Movie Summary
A young girl comes to an embittered town and confronts its attitude with her determination to see the best in life.
