God bless you!!

This story was recently told to me and I want to pass it on to you because I think it's great!



"They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class could NOT pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. They had been warned.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for God's blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech, it received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then it happened.

All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED !!!! The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said, 'GOD BLESS YOU.'

And he walked off stage. The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval. This is a true story. It happened at the University
of Maryland."

I love it, don't you?!

It reminds me so much of what my former pastor did one time. There was a new high school built in our town a few years ago. The mayor and several clergy members from various denominations were invited to attend the opening ceremonies. Everyone knew that they weren't allowed to mention God or God's blessing on the school.

Well, my clever dear Fr. Mario went up to the microphone and proceeded to say something like this, "You know, kids, I sure wish I could say that I wanted God to bless this new building and bless all of you and bless your studies here at your new high school. I really really wish I could just say, "God bless this new school and God bless each and every one of you!"

Pretty clever guy, don't you think?