Feathers......

A woman was gossiping with her friend about a man whom they hardly knew. That night she had a dream: A great hand appeared over her and pointed down at her. She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt. The next day she went to confession. She asked for the old parish priest, Father O'Rourke. She told him the whole thing, "Is gossiping a sin?" she asked, "Was that God's almighty hand pointing down at me? Should I ask for absolution? Father have i done something wrong?" "YES!" Father O'Rourke said, "You blamed false witness upon your neighbor! You should be heartily ashamed" So the woman said she was ashamed and asked for forgiveness. "Not So Fast!" Said Father O'Rourke, "I want you to go home, take a pillow to your roof, cut it open with a knife, and then come back here to me" So the woman went home and did what she was told, She took her pillow to the roof and cut it open. Then she went back to the old parish priest, as he had instructed. "Did you cut the pillow with the knife?" he says, "Yes, father." "And what was the result?" "Feathers." "Feathers?" he repeated. "Feathers everywhere father." "Now go back and gather up every last feather that was carried out on the wind." "Well," she said "It cant be done. I dont know where they went, the wind took them all over!" "And that" said Father O'Rourke "IS GOSSIP!"