St. Ignatius Academy prided itself on fostering an environment of moral fortitude for its students.
One lunchtime, the nuns liked to test the children’s moral fortitude with a little test.
As the students filed into the cafeteria, their gazes were immediately drawn to the tempting displays that awaited them.
At the head of the line, Sister Mary Immaculata stood watch over the assembled children.
Before her was a modest pile of crisp, ruby-red apples, their polished skins glistening invitingly under the fluorescent lights.
With a solemn nod, the nun placed a handwritten note beside the fruit:
“Only take one. God is watching.”
The message was clear – a test of restraint and obedience, a trial to separate the virtuous from the gluttonous.
The children nodded demurely as they each claimed a single apple, cradling the fruit in their small hands as if it were a sacred offering.
But further down the line, a far more insidious temptation awaited them.
A veritable mountain of freshly baked cookies stood proudly, their warm, buttery aroma wafting through the air and causing even the most devout of stomachs to rumble with desire.
It was at this moment that young Michael O’Reilly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, hatched a deliciously devious plan.
Carefully, he scribbled a note of his own and surreptitiously placed it beside the cookies:
“Take all you want. God is watching the apples.”
