The wild way that St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated these days in Savannah reminds me of a couple of Irish stories about men going to the confessional.

In the first story, a man named Kavanaugh goes to confess stealing hay. “And how much of that stack of hay did you steal, Kavanaugh?” the priest asked at confession.

“I might as well confess to the whole stack, your Reverence,” said Kavanaugh. “I’m goin’ after the rest of it tonight!”

In the second story, O’Toole had worked in the lumber yard for twenty years and all that time he’d been stealing the wood and selling it. At last his conscience began to bother him and he went to confession to repent.

“Father, it’s 15 years since my last confession, and I’ve been stealing wood from the lumber yard all those years,” he told the priest.

“I understand my son,” says the priest. “Can you make a Novena?” (A Novena is a nine-day prayer ritual.)

O’Toole said, “Father, if you have the plans, I’ve got the lumber.”

Some people are sorry for their sins, but not sorry enough to change. Second Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” In other words, if you’re sorry you got caught but not sorry enough to change, you’re just plain sorry!

I imagine that old St. Patrick would say, “Aye, praise the Almighty, ‘tis true!”

Here’s praying you keep the “Saint” in Saint Patrick’s Day!

(Copyright 2010 by Bob Rogers. Read this column each Friday for a mix of religion and humor. For more “Holy Humor,” go to the Web page of First Baptist Church of Rincon at www.fbcrincon.com.)