Saturday, December 28, 2013

“My Christmas Story”

A family friend and his son was going to baptize one Christmas Day and he invited us. Although we did not go to the same church and had the same religious views, we decided to go. After attending our church service we went to our friends' baptismal service. When the service was over, I presented him and his son with a book each —The Gospel of St. Thomas and The Pilgrim's Progress. Days later our friend phoned me and said, “The book you gave me ‘The Gospel Of St. Thomas, is not for me. It is against my religious views. I do not agree with any Catholic values. I am upset that you choose to give me a gift like that.”
While he was speaking I was thinking that I should say, ‘Ignorance is bliss to a fool’, but I said, “Did you read it?”
“No I did not.” He went on insulting me. “You Catholics worship idols, eat pork and worship on a Sunday. I hope you did not give my son the same book.”
I hung up the phone and when I told my husband he simply said, “Do you remember your favorite verse from the Bible?”
“Yes Proverb 18:2 ‘The fool takes no delight in understanding, but rather in displaying what he thinks',” I said.
“Okay so you know what I have been saying about him is true. He is a jackass!”
As time went by we ignored that character until he turned up at our home, one Christmas morning. We had just sat down to have breakfast —Pig-trotters souse, ham, scrambled eggs etc., When I heard his voice, I was hoping my husband did not invite this fool to join us, but knowing the kind of man he was, hoping for that would not happen. Our friend pulled out a chair and sat at the table. The moment I got him a plate, cup, glass etc., he took up the bowl of Pig-trotters souse and started to dish out some onto his plate. I looked at my husband with my eyes wide open. He smiled, shook his head for me not to say anything., but I said, “That is Pig-trotters souse!”
“I know,” said the fool and he continued dishing out.
 I looked at my husband and mouthed out, “Hypocrite.”…

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