The Catholic church and the synagogue were just across the street from each other. Father O'Neill and Rabbi Levine had known each other for many years and were good friends. They'd had many good, in-depth discussions of theology in which they often disagreed, but never acrimoniously. Nevertheless, Father O'Neill harbored the secret hope that he could convert Rabbi Levine. The Rabbi knew this because the Father had broached the subject a number of times, but the Rabbi always smiled gently and shook his head.

One day the Father and the Rabbi were on their way to a large ecumenical meeting in a nearby town. The Father was driving and they were casually chatting about this and that.

Suddenly a huge semi coming in the opposite direction swerved over into their lane, threatening a deadly head-on collision. The Father, startled, swerved to avoid the crash and the car ran off the road and rolled over a couple of times. Both men were thrown clear of the car.

Dazed and shaken up, Father O'Neill gave thanks for surviving the roll-over intact, then looked for his friend. The Rabbi was about ten feet away. He seemed to be all right also. He rose slowly to his knees, and with a somewhat tentative expression . . . he crossed himself!

Father O'Neill cried out, "Oh, thank you, Lord! Thank you! All of my prayers have not been in vain. My friend has finally seen the Light!"

"What?" said the Rabbi. "What are you talking about?"

"You!" said the Father. "It has taken this brush with death to show you the light! You've become a Christian!"

The Rabbi cocked his head and looked at the Father as if he had gone mad.

"I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"I just saw you cross yourself!"

The Rabbi looked puzzled for a moment, then laughed.

"No, no, no," he said. "I was just checking to be sure I still had everything. Spectacles, testacles, wallet and pen."

Don Firth