On a tour of Alabama , the Pope took a few days off to visit the coast for some sightseeing. He was cruising along the beach in the Pope-mobile when there was a frantic commotion just off shore.
A helpless man, wearing a Auburn University jersey, was struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a huge shark. As the Pope watched, horrified, a speedboat came racing up with three men wearing Alabama jerseys aboard. One quickly fired a harpoon into the shark’s side. The other two reached out and pulled the bleeding semi-conscious Auburn fan from the water. Then using heavy clubs the three heroes beat the shark to death and hauled it into the boat.
Immediately the Pope shouted and summoned them to the beach. “I give you my blessing for your brave actions,” he told the heroes. “Even in Italy I have heard of the bitter hatred between your two colleges, but I have now seen with my own eyes it is not the truth”.
As the Pope drove off the harpooner asked his buddies “Who was that?”
“It was the Pope,” one replied. “He is in direct contact with God and is considered very wise”.
“Well,” the harpooner said, “he may have great wisdom and direct contact with God, but he doesn’t know anything about shark fishing…how is the bait holding up?”
A helpless man, wearing a Auburn University jersey, was struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a huge shark. As the Pope watched, horrified, a speedboat came racing up with three men wearing Alabama jerseys aboard. One quickly fired a harpoon into the shark’s side. The other two reached out and pulled the bleeding semi-conscious Auburn fan from the water. Then using heavy clubs the three heroes beat the shark to death and hauled it into the boat.
Immediately the Pope shouted and summoned them to the beach. “I give you my blessing for your brave actions,” he told the heroes. “Even in Italy I have heard of the bitter hatred between your two colleges, but I have now seen with my own eyes it is not the truth”.
As the Pope drove off the harpooner asked his buddies “Who was that?”
“It was the Pope,” one replied. “He is in direct contact with God and is considered very wise”.
“Well,” the harpooner said, “he may have great wisdom and direct contact with God, but he doesn’t know anything about shark fishing…how is the bait holding up?”