The Priest and the Pilot

[wompus]

A priest died and was waiting in the queue at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him was a man dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter asked this man, 'Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven ? '

The man replied, ' 'I'm Jack, retired Monarch Airline Pilot from Crowborough’ Saint Peter consulted his list. He smiled and said to the pilot, 'Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom.' The pilot went into Heaven with his robe and staff.

Next, it was the priest's turn. He stood erect and boomed out, 'I am Father Bob, pastor of Saint Mary's in Toxteth for the last 43 years.' Saint Peter consulted his list. He said to the priest,

'Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom.

'Just a minute,' said the good father. 'That man was a pilot and he got a silken robe and golden staff and I get only cotton and wood. How can this be?
.
'Up here - we go by results,' said Saint Peter. 'When you preached - people slept. When he flew, people prayed.'