A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher, and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette.
They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear.
One thing led to another, and they decided to experiment.
They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
Seven days later, they all met to discuss their experience.
Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first.
“Well,” he said,“ I went into the woods to find a bear. When I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me, and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming next week to give him first communion and confirmation.”
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, “WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, up another and down another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just as you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. Hallelujah!”
The priest and the reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast, in traction, with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
The Rabbi looked up and said: “Looking back on it ..... circumcision may not have been the best way to start.”
They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear.
One thing led to another, and they decided to experiment.
They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
Seven days later, they all met to discuss their experience.
Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first.
“Well,” he said,“ I went into the woods to find a bear. When I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me, and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming next week to give him first communion and confirmation.”
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, “WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, up another and down another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just as you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. Hallelujah!”
The priest and the reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast, in traction, with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
The Rabbi looked up and said: “Looking back on it ..... circumcision may not have been the best way to start.”
