mepastormike

So there I was in front of the crowd, behind the pulpit, preparing to read my part. I kept pronouncing over and over again in my head "ki-a-fas, ki-a-fas"... working hard not to forget it. But wouldn't you know it...

This past Friday was Good Friday, and I was participating with several other ministers in our ministerial association as part of the Community Good Friday service. My part, in this dramatic reading, was from the perspective of a soldier that was sent to arrest Jesus. My part included the name Caiaphas... who was the Roman appointed Jewish High Priest at the time of Jesus arrest and crucifixion. This name has always given me a hard time with pronunciation. Every time I look at it I get tongue-tied. I was determined to not mess it up during this community service.
When I arrived at the church where the service was being held I was feeling confident. I had written next to the name Caiaphas my pronunciation key; ki-a-fas. This way I could look at the key rather than the actual name. I'm suppose to know this already... right? After all, I went to school and studied about these people!
Just before we started I learned there was a script already prepared for everyone to read from on the pulpit.... Great! I just kept going over and over in my mind to pronounce the name right. I can do this... no problem... bring on the name Caia..?... ki-a-fas.
I was reading my part before the nearly filled sanctuary of the Methodist Church... oh look, pretty stain glass windows... Come on Mike, concentrate!
Okay... nearly finish. Here comes the name. Now remember, just like you've rehearsed.... And here - it - is... NOTHING! My mind goes blank. I look at the name and pause trying to think of my key. The seconds seemed like minutes. So I passed over it to the next name. And then all of a sudden I remembered! So I found a nice place to add it back in.
Boy, was my face ever read! Have I ever told you how much I like the name Joe?