I’m sure we can all remember the terrible floods that struck parts of Britain last year and again this year, causing damage destruction and death to many areas. This brings me onto this week’s story.


Ernest was a widower, who had lived in the small North Yorkshire village all his life. He was a popular figure, always getting involved in the social life of the village and was a regular in the local pub each evening were he enjoyed a game of darts. His cottage was only a few doors away from the Catholic Church and being a very devout man he always attended Mass every day and prayed every night before going to bed. Then one day disaster struck, a nearby river burst its banks and began to flood the village. The water level rose and rose until it began pouring into Ernest’s cottage.

Sometime later a rescue boat from the fire service arrived and offered to carry him to safety, but he refused. The water level continued to rise and
he had to move upstairs to safety. Another rescue boat arrived and again offered to evacuate him to a safe place, but again he refused saying, “I have faith in my God, I will be alright.” Eventually he was left sitting on the roof of his cottage with floodwater now swirling all around him. Again the rescue boat arrived with the firemen pleading with him to get into the boat, but again he refused saying, “No! I will not leave my home, I am a man of faith and I know that God will save me”

The rising waters carried him away and he drowned. He now stood forlorn,
confused and angry before his God. He said, “Lord I had such great faith in you, but you let me down, why didn’t you save me?” God looked at him and replied, “But I did try to save you, I sent the rescue boat to you three times, but you turned down my offer of help.”