There was once a newly ordained priest who joined the staff of a large,
well-to-do parish. His boss, the senior priest, had been there for many
years and was steeped in wisdom. The young priest was very full of himself,
having taken a number of prizes for preaching in seminary. He was
particularly proud of his efforts in the pulpit.

Indeed, he said to his boss one day, "Father, there is not a subject in
the world that I could not, at the drop of a hat, find a Biblical text for
and then be able to preach a sermon." The senior priest decided to put his
young charge to the test.

"Well, my boy," he said, "don't you be preparing any sermon for mass
next Sunday. Instead, when you get into the pulpit you will find a
sealed envelope which I will have put there. Inside the envelope there
will be a single sheet of paper on which I will have written a one word
topic. I defy you to find any kind of text that will fit."

The young priest looked forward to the test with relish. The day came.
He ascended the stairs into the pulpit. His boss was squirming with
anticipation. The young man opened the envelope, glanced at the sheet of
paper on which was written the one word, "CONSTIPATION", and proclaimed:
"And Moses took the two tablets and went off down the mountain....."