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 for coffee and talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really that hard. Instead, a real challenge would be to preach to a black bear.
One thing led to another and they all decided to experiment. They would all go out to the woods, find a bear, and preach to it in an attempt to convert the heathen bear.
Seven days later the three holy men came together to discuss their experience.
Father Flannerry, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages goes first. "Well," he says, " I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found one, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that Black bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around, but good. So, that's when I grabbed my Holy Water, sprinkled him, and Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a little lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him his First Communion."
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts and had an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he exclaimed "Well brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! No, I went out and FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to that 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 fought down hill, UP another, then DOWN another until we came to a creek. THEN BROTHERS, I quickly dunked him into the cold water and I BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, that bear became as gentle as a lamb and we spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. AMEN."
The priest and the preacher than both looked at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast, in traction, and had at least ten IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in real bad shape. Even so, Rabbi Goodwin looks up and says " You know, looking back on it all, circumcision may not have been the best way to start."
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really that hard. Instead, a real challenge would be to preach to a black bear.
One thing led to another and they all decided to experiment. They would all go out to the woods, find a bear, and preach to it in an attempt to convert the heathen bear.
Seven days later the three holy men came together to discuss their experience.
Father Flannerry, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages goes first. "Well," he says, " I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found one, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that Black bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around, but good. So, that's when I grabbed my Holy Water, sprinkled him, and Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a little lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him his First Communion."
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts and had an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he exclaimed "Well brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! No, I went out and FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to that 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 fought down hill, UP another, then DOWN another until we came to a creek. THEN BROTHERS, I quickly dunked him into the cold water and I BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, that bear became as gentle as a lamb and we spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. AMEN."
The priest and the preacher than both looked at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast, in traction, and had at least ten IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in real bad shape. Even so, Rabbi Goodwin looks up and says " You know, looking back on it all, circumcision may not have been the best way to start."
