See, Mass is good for some things.
So, I went to a very Irish Church for a St. Patrick's Day mass (with a Polish priest, who was like, "Yeah, it's kind of intimidating standing up here before you all as a Polish priest. The bishop told me not to mess up on this day.") Buy he told this awesome little story:
In a small town in Co. Kerry there was once a man who started coming into the pub, sitting at the bar, and ordering three beers at once. He would drink them all slowly, all alone, and then order another three beers, and do the same thing.
Finally, the people of the town went to their priest, and said, "Father Murphy, Father Murphy, you've really got to talk to this guy and find out why he's doing this!"
So Father Murphy went and sat down at the bar with the guy, and had a conversation with him.
"So why do you order three beers at once?"
"See, my oldest brother moved to America, and my youngest brother moved to Australia, so we promised each other that whenever we went to have a drink we'd order a beer for each one of us. It's a way to keep the family together."
So the people of the town were all pleased and rejoiced in the idea.
However, one March, the man came into the bar and started ordering only two drinks. The town was filled with sorrow. Obviously one of the man's brothers had died. They started to pray for the man's brother's soul at mass, mourning him as well as they could.
Father Murphy went to the man again, saying, "Please, tell us the name of your brother who has died, so we may pray for him properly."
The man looked at him with confusion, and then said, "Father Murphy, let me tell you: my brothers are both in good health. I just gave up drinking for Lent."
In a small town in Co. Kerry there was once a man who started coming into the pub, sitting at the bar, and ordering three beers at once. He would drink them all slowly, all alone, and then order another three beers, and do the same thing.
Finally, the people of the town went to their priest, and said, "Father Murphy, Father Murphy, you've really got to talk to this guy and find out why he's doing this!"
So Father Murphy went and sat down at the bar with the guy, and had a conversation with him.
"So why do you order three beers at once?"
"See, my oldest brother moved to America, and my youngest brother moved to Australia, so we promised each other that whenever we went to have a drink we'd order a beer for each one of us. It's a way to keep the family together."
So the people of the town were all pleased and rejoiced in the idea.
However, one March, the man came into the bar and started ordering only two drinks. The town was filled with sorrow. Obviously one of the man's brothers had died. They started to pray for the man's brother's soul at mass, mourning him as well as they could.
Father Murphy went to the man again, saying, "Please, tell us the name of your brother who has died, so we may pray for him properly."
The man looked at him with confusion, and then said, "Father Murphy, let me tell you: my brothers are both in good health. I just gave up drinking for Lent."