A story for your birthday, Praise. A visiting priest told us, and it seems fitting.

It was when he was a young curate, many years ago, in a big old presbytery with a formidable old priest, along with another young priest.

The trouble was the old priest was a bit careful of the pennies, and one of the ways he was careful was that all the bulbs in the house were about 15 watts. "It was like living in a coal mine!". They'd stumble around in the gloom trying to find their way.

So the two young priests decided it couldn't go on like that.But they couldn't confront the old one. Well, even aside from hurting his feelings, they didn't dare to.

So what they did was go out and get some stronger bulbs. Not too strong, 25 watts. And they put them in, and they waited to see what would happen. And nothing happened.It was just a bit brighter and more cheerful.

And after a while they went out again, and got 40 watt bulbs. And the same thing happneed.

And then 60 watts. And 75 watts... Well I'm not too sure how bright it got. But anyway a point came when the old priest came in. And he said "I've been noticing something". And they stood and waited to be told off. "Yes", he said."You know, I think my eyes must be getting stronger, I can see things better than I used to."