A Living Alternative

This joke was told to me this week by a new friend I met at the bookstore:

Once upon a time there was a small Franciscan community and Benedictine monastery that were next to one another. One day each community felt that God was calling them to send one of their own to live for God in the world. After much prayer, a friar and monk were selected, blessed and sent into the world. With little more than the clothes on their backs, they embarked on their journey together.

Both men, however, were uncertain of what to do. Most of their lives had been spent in theis isolated communities. Neither had ever had a job outside of their vocation. After much thought, they realized that they both had worked in the kitchen preparing meals for their brothers. To that end, they opened a small fish & chips shop.

Before long, their tasty food was famous across the land. People travelled from far and wide to eat their fish and chips. One day the pope himself arrived and tasted their food, and loved it.

"That food was delicious, my son," stated the pope, " Simply wonderful! Are you the fish fryer?"

Humbly, the Benedictine brother shook he head and answered sincerely:

"No, your Holiness, I'm the chip monk."