A married man walked into a confessional, seeking forgiveness for a near-miss with infidelity. He shared with the priest that he had almost succumbed to temptation with another woman. The priest, intrigued, asked for clarification on what “almost” meant.
The man explained that they had gotten undressed and rubbed against each other, but he had managed to stop himself before things went further. The priest, with a hint of cleverness, replied that rubbing together was equivalent to taking the next step. He instructed the man to avoid the woman in question, say five Hail Mary’s as penance, and contribute $50 to the poor box.
As the man exited the confessional, he made his way to the poor box. However, instead of depositing the money, he rubbed the $50 bill against the box. When the priest confronted him about not making a donation, the man smiled mischievously and said that, according to the priest’s own logic, rubbing the money against the box was equivalent to putting it in. The priest was left speechless, and the man walked away with a sly grin.
