A Priest, a Minister and a Rabbi all served as chaplains at a local university.
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 do an experiment They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the experience.
Father Flannery (the priest), has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages. He speaks first. "Well," he says, "I went into the woods to find a bear. When I found him I began to read from the Catechism. 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 a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."
Reverend Bob (the minister) spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both in casts, and on an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he claimed, "Well, brothers, I went out and found 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 quick dunked him and baptized his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the week in Fellowship, feasting on God's Holy Word, and praising Jesus."
They both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in bad shape.
The rabbi looked up and said, "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start things out with the bear"
