Gina Heslop
A married man felt guilty because he almost cheated on his wife with another woman. Struggling with his conscience, he decided to visit his priest to confess his sin.
Entering the confessional, he said to the priest, “Father, I almost had an affair with another woman.” The priest, concerned, asked him to explain what he meant by “almost.” The man replied, “We got undressed and were naked together. We rubbed against each other, but then I stopped before going any further.”
The priest listened carefully and then said, “Rubbing together is just as serious as actually committing the act. You must not see that woman again. For your penance, say five Hail Marys and put $50 in the poor box.”
Feeling relieved to have confessed, the man left the confessional, recited his prayers, and then walked over to the poor box. He paused for a moment, appearing to think. Then, he started to leave the church without putting any money in the box.
The priest, who had been watching him closely, quickly approached the man. “I saw that!” the priest exclaimed. “You didn’t put any money in the poor box!”
The man smiled and replied, “Yes, Father, I rubbed the $50 on the box. According to what you told me, that’s the same as putting it in!”
The priest was taken aback by the man’s clever response, realizing that the man had turned his own words back on him in a humorous way.
