Fenia City Cathedral

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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,


Today I would like to speak about efforts. Sometimes there are situations, when we tend to chase things in life, like wealth or power. But is it worth the effort?


One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.

“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman, “you should be working rather than lying on the beach!” The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer. “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat and hire some people to work for you!” he said. “And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting more irritated. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!” Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was even more irritated and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, simply looked up, nodded and said: “And what do you think I am doing now?” He then looked at the sunset, with his pole in the water, without a care in the world.


Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,


Today I would like to preach about making differences in the world. As you all might know, I live by the lake of Fenia city, and every Sunday morning I take a light walk around the park near my home. Each time I walk by this lake, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the water’s edge with a small metal cage sitting beside her.


This past Sunday my curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped walking and went over to her. As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was, in fact, a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base of the trap. She had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a sponge brush.


“Hello,” I said. “I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don’t mind my nosiness, I’d love to know what you’re doing with these turtles.”


She smiled. “I’m cleaning off their shells,” she replied. “Anything on a turtle’s shell, like algae or scum, reduces the turtle’s ability to absorb heat and impedes its ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time.”


“Wow! That’s really nice of you!” I exclaimed.


She went on: “I spend a couple of hours each Sunday morning, relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It’s my own strange way of making a difference.”


“But don’t most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?” I asked.


“Yep, sadly, they do,” she replied.


I scratched my head. “Well then, don’t you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are freshwater turtles living in lakes all around the world of Secfenia. And 99% of these turtles don’t have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense… but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?”


The woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed off the last piece of algae from its shell, and said, “Sweetie, if this little guy could talk, he’d tell you I just made all the difference in the world.”


Dear Brothers and Sisters, each one of us can change the world. Maybe we can’t change the world right away but a single good deed will resonate with the rest of the world. Make every day count by knowing that you are capable of so much good, you just need to be brave to make the world a better place!


Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to share with you a short story about greed. What is greed? It is, when you want more and chase always more, or other things, than you can currently get. Here is the story about a greedy lion:


It was an incredibly hot day, and a lion was feeling very hungry.


He came out of his den and searched here and there. He could find only a small hare. He caught the hare with some hesitation. “This hare can’t fill my stomach” thought the lion.


As the lion was about to kill the hare, a deer ran that way. The lion became greedy. He thought;


“Instead of eating this small hare, let me eat the big deer.”


He let the hare go and went behind the deer. But the deer had vanished into the forest. The lion now felt sorry for letting the hare off.



Dear Brothers and Sisters, as the saying goes: one bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Be satirfied with what you have.



Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about the Path of Light. Obviously, this is the way most of us have chosen to follow. But is it always easy to do so?


Please listen to the following story, the Legend of Heliopher.


Once upon a time there was a goup of people that lived in a dark forest. The trees stood so close together that the light of the sun could not penetrate the thickly entwined branches. There were also numerous wild animals which were always ready to hurl themselves on the people, especially the children when they wandered too far from their parents while they were playing. So everyone lived in constant fear of death and destruction, and a hopeless despair took hold of the hearts of the folk.

Continuous darkness had strangled all the light in their hearts. They could not love one another any more. They even hated and murdered one another in their rage. Yet they were forced to remain together, for it was impossible for any single man to defend himself against the attacks of the wild beasts. They had lost all hope of ever finding their way out of the forest. Many of the young people refused to believe in the light they had never seen, and they mocked their elders, when, with a last weak light gleaming in their dim eyes, they recounted tales of the festive, sunny days of their youth.

Among the people, however, there was a young man called Heliopher. He was very much alone, grieving over the misery of his people and seeking a way of salvation. He bore in his heart an endless longing for light and love in the desolation which surrounded him. Heliopher left his people to seek the sun. For many months and years he wandered through the dangers of the forest and of his own soul, and often, very often, nearly lost all hope and confidence. But Heliopher bravely withstood his enemies, whether within himself or around him, and at last he reached the edge of the forest and saw the light of the sun. In terrible amazement he fell into a swoon, and when he awoke he saw in the twilight that he was watched over in his slumber by beautiful people. In the green meadows stood the simple huts of the sun-people, and Heliopher lived with them in peace and endless joy as the most beloved amongst them.

Then Heliopher went back to the forest to seek his people. “Come, brothers and sisters,” he said to them, “I will lead you to the light.” At this there was murmuring and frowning, wavering and hesitation, wonder and questioning, incredulous laughter, and finally a reluctant “Yes!” And then, at last, the longed-for departure.

The light of the sun shone in Heliopher’s eyes, but the way was long and difficult, and demanded much suffering and sacrifice, and murmuring arose among the people. Some spoke and said, “Let us murder him, the betrayer of the people!” And the dark glow of hatred was in their eyes. Others were wiser and said, “No! Let us judge him in the presence of all, for it is dangerous to give the people a martyr.” And Heliopher spoke to his people, and talked about light and love. But the wise ones answered, “You lie! There is no light, there is no sun, there is no love. Let us be darker than the forest and more cruel than the wild beasts. Then we shall be masters of the forest!”

Heliopher answered in great pain, “O believe not, ye wise men, that ye can be victorious over darkness by being more dark, that ye can overcome the wild beasts by being more beastly. Only love is stronger. Only the light of the sun can drive away darkness.”

“Be silent!” said the wise men. “There is no light, there is no sun!”

And the people shouted, flinging their arms about in raging despair, “There is no light, there is no sun!”

But Heliopher called out, “Follow me!” And with his nails he tore open his breast, and his heart burned with love, and it glowed and shed its beams through the dark forest. Then he took it in both hands, held it high over his head, and strode forth in front of the people.

In reverent wonder and silence the multitude followed the burning heart.

And the people went in jubilation toward the sun and danced in its loving rays, and they loved one another. But Heliopher knelt down at the edge of the forest, and with the last strength of his outstretched arms he held up his loving, pulsing heart to the light of heaven, and gave his last smile to his people.


Dear Brothers and Sisters, don't forget the Legend of Heliopher. Stay always on the Light Path, follow the way of love and light, and you will find happiness at the end of your journey.


Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Although it was two days after the latest Mass, she took a piece of parchment and a quill quickly to write down the text of her latest sermon.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,

Today I would like to speak about the order of importance. Certainly all of us have things in our lives, which we consider important. But can we always decide, which ones are essential and which are not so much?

A philosophy professor once stood up before his class with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He filled the jar to the top with large rocks and asked his students if the jar was full.

His students all agreed the jar was full.

He then added small pebbles to the jar, and gave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among the larger rocks. Then he asked again, “Is the jar full now?”

The students agreed that the jar was still full.

The professor then poured sand into the jar to fill up all the remaining empty space.

The students then agreed again that the jar was full.

Then the professor started to explain the experiment:

The jar represents your life and the rocks, pebbles, and sand are the things that fill up your life. The rocks represent the most important projects and things you have going on, such as spending time with your family and maintaining proper health. This means that if the pebbles and the sand were lost, the jar would still be full and your life would still have meaning.

The pebbles represent the things in your life that matter, but that you could live without. The pebbles are certainly things that give your life meaning (such as your job, house, hobbies, and friendships), but they are not critical for you to have a meaningful life. These things often come and go, and are not permanent or essential to your overall well-being.

Finally, the sand represents the remaining filler things in your life, and material possessions. This could be small things such as watching television, browsing through your favorite social media site, or running errands. These things don't mean much to your life as a whole, and are likely only done to waste time or get small tasks accomplished.


Dear Brothers and Sisters, don't forget the moral of this story. If you start with putting sand into the jar, you will not have room for rocks or pebbles. This holds true with the things you let into your life. If you spend all of your time on the small and insignificant things, you will run out of room for the things that are actually important.In order to have a more effective and efficient life, pay attention to the “rocks,” because they are critical to your long-term well-being.


Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,


Today I would like to speak about flows. All of us have flows, of course, and sometimes we try everything to hide them from others. Still they are there. But is it always necessary to feel ashamed of these flows? Let me tell you a short tale about this topic.


“A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.


For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.


After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.


The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.


The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”



Dear Brothers and Sisters, each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. In this world, nothing goes to waste. You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.



Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,



Our theme for today is: worth and worthiness. There are so many times, when we might feel we are not worthy of love or respect. If you feel you have had such times in your life, then let me share a tale with you.


"A well-respected speaker began a seminar by showing an audience of 150 people a crisp $20 bill. He asked, “Who wants this $20 bill?”


All 150 people nodded.


He said, “I am going to give this money to someone, but first….” Then he proceeded to crumple the bill up.


He asked the crowd again if anyone wanted it.


All 150 hands went up in the air.


The speaker then dropped the money on the floor and stomped all over it.


He then raised it in the air to show the crowd. The money was filthy.


“Does anyone want it now?”


Every hand went up.


The speaker proceeded to tell the crowd that no matter what he did to ruin the money, people still wanted it because its value remained the same. It was still worth $20."


Dear Brothers and Sisters, life often beats us up to the point where we feel inadequate. We deal with bad circumstances and make bad choices that we have to deal with later. However, no matter what you go through, your value will remain the same. You have something special to offer that no one can take away from you.




Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

She was too late again to write down the text of the previous sermon. However, now she decided to make up for the omission.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,

Today I would like to preach about abilities and possibilities. Certainly, we are all born with certain types and abilities, some with more, some with less. Yet, can we always make use of them? And if not, why? That's what we are looking for the answer to today.

A mother camel and her baby were lying down, soaking up the sun. The baby camel asked his mom, “Why do we have these big bumps on our back?”

The mom stopped to think and then said, “We live in the desert where there is not much water available. Our humps store water to help us survive on long journeys. “

The baby camel then stopped to think and said, “Well, why do we have long legs with rounded feet?”

His mother replied, “They are meant to help us walk through sand.”

The baby asked a third question, “Why are my eyelashes so long?”

The mother replied, “Your long eyelashes offer you protection from sand when it blows in the wind.”

Finally, the baby said, “If we have all of these natural abilities given to us to walk through the desert, what’s the use for camels in the Zoo?”


Dear Brothers and Sisters, the skills and abilities that we possess won’t be useful if we’re not in the right environment.

You’ve probably heard of a professional who ditched his or her career to follow their dreams – or the person who remains unfulfilled in their job, but doesn’t try to make a change.

If you’re stuck in a career that isn’t the right fit, you have to do some self-reflection to realize where your strengths lie that are going to waste. Turn to people that you know the best as well as professionals in any given market so you can start thinking about what may be better for you. Think big and remain open to new ideas.


Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
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Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



For today I have chosen a topic, which is highly respected by everyone: that is honesty. Let's take an example, why honesty is so very important in our relationships.

A young boy and girl were enjoying a pleasant afternoon playing outside in their neighborhood together. The boy showed the girl his collection of beautiful, unique marbles. In turn, the girl showed the boy the handful of candy that she had just gotten for her birthday.

The boy proposed that the two of them switch – he would give her all of his marbles if she handed over all of her candy. The girl agreed, as she found the marbles to be beautiful as well.

The boy handed over all of his marbles, but kept one–the most exquisite one of them all–in his pocket. The girl kept her promise and gave the boy all of her candy.

That night, the girl was happy with the exchange and peacefully went to sleep.

The boy, however, couldn’t sleep, as he was up wondering if the girl had secretly kept some of her candy, just like he did with the marble.




Dear Brothers and Sisters, if you don’t give 100% in your relationships, you will always assume your partner isn’t giving 100% either. If you want your relationships to be built on trust, you have to be a participating factor in that.

Honesty grows your character. By being honest in relationships, you’re holding your partner accountable to do the same. It allows both you and your partner to continuously think about your choices and how you can help (or hurt) your partner and your relationship.



Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about a very important attribute: persistence. Indeed, wihout persistence we can hardly achieve anything in life. But sometimes it's so hard to adhere to something, mainly if we don't see, how long we have to struggle...



Once upon a time there was a man who had been mining gold for several months. However, after a certian time of struggle he decided to quit his job, as he hadn’t struck gold yet and the work was becoming tiresome. He sold his equipment to another man who resumed mining where it had been left off. The new miner was advised by his friend that there was gold only three feet away from where the first miner stopped digging.



Well, the friend was right, the new miner found the gold shortly after starting to dig. Which means the first miner was a mere three feet away from striking gold before he quit.



Dear Brothers and Sisters, when things start to get hard, try to persevere through the adversity. Many people give up on following their dreams because the work becomes too difficult, tedious, or tiresome – but often, you’re closer to the finish line than you may think, and if you push just a little harder, you will succeed.



Blessings to you all.
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Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
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