STORIES
Deaf-N-Dumb
The Butterfly
Of Snakes and Faith
The Widow's Son
SPIRITUAL STORIES
"IN THIS MASQUERADE BALL OF LIFE, WHO DO WE REALLY KNOW?" The Cynic
WHO WERE THE TOWN'S PEOPLE INSIDE; BEHIND THEIR MASQUES.
THE TOWN OF THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN
0:55 AM 11/24/03
THE TOWN OF THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN
By StephenJames .
Hey. Why don't you live in our home? We have more than enough room.
Now. This gentleman really does not pass THE SMELL TEST.
"Some are born blind, but possess more vision than others. Some are deaf, but their hearts hear the Wisdom of The Father." The Philosopher, The Theologian
We are sorry. But, we want a pretty Jesus.
There once was a deaf and dumb man who grew up and lived in a certain town. The town was the most respected and prosperous one in the whole county. The people of the town never liked the man. In fact, they mocked and ridiculed him. They thought he was 'stupid because he was uneducated, and could not hear or talk. They gave him a nickname. Insulting him calling him 'the Dummy . The children used to taunt him by making faces at 'the Dummy . Children follow their parents example. You have to be taught to hate, innocents are not born with it. Besides its always easy to emotionally sadistically beat up emotionally of the little gut who cant fight back against the group. People will do terrible evil in a group they would never consider doing alone.
Through the years, this unrelenting abuse deeply hurt the deaf and dumb man. very unhappy inside. He was happy only was when his mother took him to church. Since he was deaf, he could not understand what was going on during the services. All he knew was, when he was in church, he felt safe. The rest of the town's people attended this same church. In the church, they did not seem to be as threatening or as mean. They would sing beautiful hymns, ring the church bells, hear their pastor's sermon, and place large amounts of. money in the collection plate. The Deaf and Dumb man was amazed since he and his mother were poor and never saw so much money. In fact, the town's financial &generosity was so great their pastor constantly praised their generosity.. They even bought for the church very expensive stained-glass windows. The people in adjoining towns said this church was the best. It was the most beautiful church in the entire county because it had stained-glass windows, which told Bible stories.
After the services, the pastor would greet and hug his parishioners, thanking them for their generosity However, the pastor never greeted 'the Dummy , Instead he ignored him because he was embarrassed as to how to relate to the poor man. The pastor was a highly intelligent well-educated man who had very profound things to say. He thought 'the Dummy would not understand, so he ignored him.
Now the people of the town saw themselves as good people . They followed all the rules and obeyed all the laws. . In short they got along with one another. They said they believed in teamwork. Because it was mutually beneficial to do so. ;In other words, they did this because they believed. this would help everyone prosper. However, deep in their heart of hearts, they did not like or trust one another. They would gossip and talk behind each other's back. To be honest, they had little affection for one another.
However, when it came to 'the Dummy , not one of them was afraid to hide his hostility. They relentlessly tormented 'the Dummy . For all people posses a great amount of anger which builds up under the stresses of life, and people find way to release that anger against someone or something that cant cause them injury or embarrassment in return. It is what others call the many against the defenseless few. Like what happened in 1930 s Germany during WW II. It is like what happened in slavery and segregation in the American south against African-Americans.
Then one year, around Christmas time, something: happened which would have long term effects on the town. A beggar came into the town. He was dressed in dirty rags, had a long tangled beard, and looked like he had not taken a bath in a very long time. The truth was the beggar smelled. He was hungry and thirsty. He had not eaten in quite some time, so he stood on the street and begged for food or money to buy food. However, the town's people ignored his pleas. They did not want to be bothered with such a loser. They did not want to get involved. They had their own troubles to worry about. After a time, the town's people became irritated with the beggar. They thought he was a pest , and called the police. They said to the policeman, Get this bum off our streets. He is bothering people by his begging.
Besides, it doesn't look good for business. Who knows, he might be a robber or a thief He might steal from us. You never know when poor people are going to commit a crime to get what the need. Besides, the guy is just probably faking poverty and has lots of money hidden. He is a con man. Anyway, we do not want lazy bums in our town. 'the Bum is probably a drunk, or a dope addict, or something like that. We don't want his kind around here. Get rid of him. Throw 'the Bum out! So yelled the town's people. Things were fomenting into riot the police thought. So the policemen put 'the Bum , in the patrol car and drove him to the edge of the town. 'the Bum was warned never to return. However, 'the Bum was a very stubborn man. He immediately returned to the town, and, once again, began begging on the main street.
The people of the town were furious at his defiance of authority. Once again, they formed a crowd around 'the Bum , yelling and screaming at him, demanding he leave. However, 'the Bum silently stood in place refusing to leave. Instead, he continued to ask them for money to buy food and drink. This only made the people more angry, and they called the policeman again to have him arrested. The policeman arrived and was in the process of arresting 'the Bum, when 'the Dummy just happened to be walking by. When 'the Dummy saw what was happening, he took pity on 'the Bum. For, you see, 'the Dummy knew what it was like to suffer humiliation and derision by crowds. Bullyism. 'the Dummy a large and very strong man physically intervened and would not allow the police to arrest 'the Bum .
Instead, 'the Dummy , stared the crowd in the eyes defiantly, and took hold of one of 'the Bum's arms in an attempt to lead him away. However, the policeman took hold of 'the Bum's other arm, and would not let go. A tug-of-war developed. The policeman would. not let go he feared losing his job by looking weak and not in authority. On the other hand, 'the Dummy was determined to free 'the Bum from the policeman's grasp, and building hatred of the crowd. The people were furious with 'the Dummy's interference. But 'the Dummy was a courageous man, and he stood his ground. When the crowd started screaming, Arrest 'the Bum 'the Dummy just stared each of them in the eyes. 'the Dummy's piercing eyes embarrassed them into silence. They became afraid. For he had a way of looking into men's very souls, and exposing their hypocrisy. In addition, they thought he might take revenge on them for their years of mistreatment. So, The. town's people relented, and told the policeman allowed 'the Dummy . to take 'the Bum away.
'the Dummy took 'the Bum to his home. He sat him down at the kitchen table, and. cooked him a great and tasty meal. He let 'the Bum take a bath, shave, and get cleaned. up. 'the Dummy was shocked when 'the Bum came out of the bathroom. When 'the Bum was cleaned up, he no longer looked like a beggar, but like a handsome young man who seemed to radiate a air of wisdom about himself. 'the Dummy gave 'the Bum his best Sunday clothes to wear, and keep.
Although they never spoke a word, 'the Dummy could see feel, 'the Bum genuinely liked him. There are some people who can look into the souls of others and see exactly what they are like. 'the Dummy excitedly showed 'the Bum pictures of his loving mother who had recently passed away. 'the Bum smiled when he saw the photographs. For the rest of the night, they both just sat at the kitchen table, simply enjoying one another's company. Just being with one another gave them peace. When 'the Dummy saw 'the Bum getting sleepy, he led him to his bedroom. He had put clean sheets on his bed,
so 'the Bum would have a good nights rest. They both went to sleep 'the Bum in 'the Dummy's bed, and 'the Dummy on the hard kitchen floor.
The next morning, 'the Dummy went into the bedroom to wake up 'the Bum . To prepare breakfast. However,. to 'the Dummy's shock, surprise and sorrow. 'the Bum was gone. 'the Dummy rushed from rushed to the train station his home searching for 'the Bum . He looked everywhere, but 'the Bum was nowhere to be found. He simply disappeared.. 'the Dummy mourned the disappearance of 'the Bum. He felt deep feelings of loneliness those who society ignore. He had not known 'the Bum long, but he felt as if he had lost a brother.
As the years passed, 'the Dummy would often think about 'the Bum remembering what a kind,
sensitive, and wise man he had seemed to be.
And then, late one summer, a great tragedy struck 'the Dummy's town. A great storm. blew up from nowhere and seemed to attack the town. Heavy rains fell and. flooded the entire community. Then numerous tornadoes set down and destroyed all the buildings killing all of the people, including 'the Dummy. Where there once was a great town nothing was left, not even the beautiful church. There was not one stone left standing on another. The town was leveled, as if an atomic explosion had taken place. Everything was desolate. There was death everywhere. The press reported. There were no survivors.
When the town's people and 'the Dummy woke up after dying, they saw the gates of a great and wondrous kingdom. For death is merely falling asleep to this world and awakening in another. The kingdom was so beautiful, it was indescribable. They had never seen anything like it on Earth. They rushed towards the entrance. They tried to get in the gates, but they were closed and locked. Then they saw a man with keys in his hands come out from the gates. They knew in their hearts this man was St. Peter, and they were standing at the gates of Heaven. They cheered as St. Peter walked toward them believing he had come to let them in. However, he-had a serious look on his face, and he told them he did not have the authority to allow them in the kingdom. Instead, he would have to go and fetch The Father of the kingdom. The town's people would need His permission to enter.
When The Father walked through the gates, the town's people were overjoyed, and rushed to Him The Father was so beautiful, wise, and LOVING, no one could resist Him. He gave off a LIGHT OF LOVE which was like a magnet, which drew people to Him. As the people rushed as usual, they brushed aside 'the Dummy . 'the Dummy ended up at the back of the long line - the very last person. Nevertheless 'the Dummy did not care, he was used to that sort of treatment, always the last man - the odd man out.
At first, The Father greeted His children, the town's people, warmly. But then His mood changed, and He began to ask serious questions of the people. He said, When you were on Earth, My children, what did. you do for Me . The town's people answered happily, Father, on Earth, we built You a beautiful church. We bought a big bell for it, and a giant organ. We even bought stained-glass windows. We had the most beautiful church in the whole county. We sang beautiful hymns to You. We worshipped You in beautiful services and ceremonies. We honored You in every way possible. All the people in the surrounding towns all said we had the best church. Every time the pastor asked us for money, we gave it, and we gave generously. We were always right there with our checkbooks and. pens in hand. (When they said this, the pastor nodded. letting The Father know this was true.) We did. Everything we could for You, Father, because we loved You. We think we deserve to enter Your kingdom. Can we, now, come in
However, before The Father could answer them, a young man appeared at the right hand of The Father. His appearance was splendid. He was filled with beauty, wisdom, and LOVE. Instantly, in their hearts, the town's people knew this was the Son of The Father. It was The Master, our Lord, Jesus Christ. It was Jesus who had come to Earth, and given them the Faith, which they called their religion. Then The Father said the town's people, 'this, My children, is My Son who I LOVE, and in whom I am well-pleased. The decision of whether or not you shall enter My kingdom, I leave up to Him. He judges such matters.
Then the town's people rushed toward the Son, entreating Him to allow them to come into the kingdom. However, when they reached the Son something happened which surprised them. The Son's image changed. He was transformed. He no longer was the beautiful Son, He became The Bum . Yes, the very bum they had tormented and thrown out of their town. The people became worried, and frightened at the sight.
'the Bum was silent. He walked through the crowd to the back of the line where 'the Dummy stood. When 'the Dummy saw 'the Bum, he began to cry. His friend, 'the Bum had been no other than Jesus Christ, Himself. They embraced each other as two long lost friends. The town's people were dumbfounded at the sight. Then 'the Bum quietly led 'the Dummy through the gates into the kingdom leaving the rest of the town's people outside. As The Dummy entered the kingdom one could hear great cheers, songs, and rejoicing.
The town's people became irritated and jealous over what they had seen. They said to The Father, Father, this is not fair. If we had known 'the Bum was Your Son, we would have treated Him differently. We would have done things differently. Besides, Father, The Dummy could never even hear Your Word like we did. He never even sang beautiful songs to You like we did. He could not speak. He never worshipped You like we did. Why is he getting special treatment Why have not we been allowed into the kingdom, yet
The Father angrily answered the town's people, He, the one you insult by calling him dumb, he, it is true, never heard or spoke My Word. However, he did something more important. He listened to My Word written and singing in his heart. But you, My misguided children, heard My Word but did not listen to it. You did not put it into practice like 'the Dummy . In the end, tell Me, who was really deaf and dumb You, or My new-found son, the one you call 'the Dummy .
After saying that, The Father turned from the town's people and walked back into His kingdom. The town's people stood there dumbfounded; not knowing what to say or do next. Then St. Peter walked up to every, town's person and gave them a special mirror. When they looked into these mirrors, they saw themselves as they truly were, not as they thought of or saw themselves. not even as other people saw them, no, they saw themselves as 'the Bum and 'the Dummy had seen them. When they looked in the mirrors, they saw that they were monsters. In fright, they threw the mirrors on the ground breaking them. They could not bear to look anymore, for they saw they were not worthy to enter the kingdom.
To make things worse, St. Peter left them and went back into the kingdom closing and locking the gates behind him. There was complete silence as the town's people fell into a deep mood of depression. Would. they ever be allowed to enter the. Kingdom of Heaven Then the silence was broken. The town's people heard a man's voice coming from the kingdom within. Someone was pleading with and even begging 'the Bum , the Son, to allow the town's people to enter the kingdom. After a time, the town's people realized, in their hearts, who it was. It was the voice of 'the Dummy who they were hearing speak for the first time. 'the Dummy's voice echoed loudly throughout Heaven. The town's people were shocked to hear him defending them. Despite all their abuse, all the time 'the Dummy had LOVED each of them. His LOVE was so great he had forgiven them.
However, then the voice of the Son was heard loudly throughout Heaven. He answered 'the Dummy by saying, My Dear Friend, you, who they called 'the Dummy . How can I let your town's people into the kingdom When I dwelled on Earth, I gave them two COMMANDMENTS they had to obey to be worthy to enter the kingdom. They were this: They had to LOVE My Father with their whole minds, their whole hearts, their whole souls, and with all their might. And they were to LOVE their neighbor, their fellow man, even strangers, as they LOVED themselves.. They were to LOVE each other as I had LOVED them. And yes, they were even to LOVE their enemies. But, what did your town's people do They worshipped Me and My Father with their lips but their hearts were far from Us. They worshipped Us the way they wanted to, not the way We wanted to be worshipped. No, they did not listen to the Holy Spirit who spoke wisdom to their hearts, the One sent to guide them. No, instead, they preferred to listen to themselves. They followed their own prejudices, personal opinions, and human wisdom. No, they did not want to LOVE God and their fellow man ... they wanted, and were in-Love with themselves. They took My Good News, My Message, 'the Faith , and turned it into a convenient religion of their own creation. They conveniently abandoned my LAW OF LOVE for obedience to a bunch of man-made rules and regulations based upon their own traditions. They thought this easy way would get them into the kingdom. They did not want to walk the difficult way of LOVE. Instead, they built beautiful churches, sang beautiful songs, performed beautiful services ... they even bought stained-glass windows. All of this meant nothing because they had no LOVE in their hearts. That was their downfall.
But Master , said 'the Dummy , can't You give my town's people another chance My Dear Friend, said the Son affectionately. You still don't understand.. I have already; given your town's people thousands upon thousands of chances. Especially those who lived to a great age. However, each time they rejected Me. I have been more than fair with them. When I appeared to them as 'the Bum, they rejected Me. When I came back as 'the Bum again, again they rejected Me. I was hungry, and they did not feed Me. I was thirsty, and they did not give Me a drink. I was almost naked, and they did not clothe Me. I was cold and homeless, and in the street, and they did not invite Me in their homes. They did not give Me shelter. And., My Friend, if they would not do these things for Me, they surely did not do them for the least of My sheep, their brethren. Furthermore, I tell you this truth. I appeared to each one of them in many different and various forms. And, each time, they rejected Me ...each and everyone of them. Not once did any of them have any LOVE in their hearts. When they gave, they gave begrudgingly out of duty and obligation, or they gave as hypocrites, as a show, to show others how prosperous they were. Not once did any of them give freely out of LOVE in their hear
Oh, there is no question that some of them did some good. However, they did it only if they got something in return. Some of them even did good because they were afraid of going to hell. You see, they were dealmakers with the Lord, always trying ways to placate God, and. then going off and doing their own thing. But they never LOVED God or their fellow man. Making man-made deals with God is not LOVE. It is not the SPIRITUAL FREEDOM and individual spiritual responsibility I left them. No, such conduct is spiritual slavery and blind obedience to their man-made traditions. It is not THE LAW OF LOVE, but a man-made law of fear. Moreover, My Father and I are not to be feared, but to be LOVED. We are to be worshipped by LIVING THE FAITH OF LOVE.
And finally, My Dear Friend, said the Son. How can I let your town's people in the kingdom All those who dwell herein got in by their LOVE. They suffered by following the hard road of LOVE. They paid the price on Earth, while your people refused to. It just would -at be fair. Would it Shall My Lambs be forced to sleep with snakes Yes, the path is wide, but the entrance gate is narrow, and few there are who enter in. The Dummy was dumbfounded. He did not know what else to say in defense of his town's people. In his heart, he knew The Master was right. While on Earth, the town's people claimed to know The Master, 8;ut the master they knew was of their own creation. They had not followed the ways of The Master, but had created their own ways to follow the ways of the world. Now, The Master did not recognize them. For they were not of Him, but of themselves. None of them had LOVED. Each had been selfish. They had been in-love-with their selves, but had never LOVED anyone else.
As 'the Dummy thought of these things, he began to cry. For despite all the terrible things the town s people had done to him, he always had, and still did, LOVE his people. He would be lonely in Heaven without them. He would miss them. And 'the Dummy's cries turned into loud wails, which were heard throughout Heaven. Tears rolled down his face, and yes, even down the faces of everyone else in Heaven. For the citizens of Heaven really do know, what LOVE is all about. For everyone in Heaven had come to LOVE 'the Dummy because he was one of them - a person of LOVE. And the town's people outside the gates also began to cry. For now they realized what they had done wrong. They had refused to LOVE God and their fellow man. For without LOVE, there is nothing.
That is the story's end.
The only question remaining is: Did the town's people ever get into the kingdom of Heaven Honestly, I don't know. However, I do know one thing, and I will always remember it. That out of the great LOVE of 'the Dummies of this world, so are fashioned the KEYS to the Kingdom of Heaven .
COMMENT. Just because a person claims to be a religious person does not necessarily mean he is a good. person. And. just because a person claims to be a good does not necessarily mean he is --- a spiritually LOVING person. Without genuine LOVE, there are no spiritual guarantees of salvation.
But Master , said 'the Dummy , can't You give my town's people another chance My Dear Friend, said the Son affectionately. You still don't understand.. I have already; given your town's people thousands upon thousands of chances. Especially those who lived to a great age. However, each time they rejected Me. I have been more than fair with them. When I appeared to them as 'the Bum, they rejected Me. When I came back as 'the Bum again, again they rejected Me. I was hungry, and they did not feed Me. I was thirsty, and they did not give Me a drink. I was almost naked, and they did not clothe Me. I was cold and homeless, and in the street, and they did not invite Me in their homes. They did not give Me shelter. And., My Friend, if they would not do these things for Me, they surely did not do them for the least of My sheep, their brethren. Furthermore, I tell you this truth. I appeared to each one of them in many different and various forms. And, each time, they rejected Me ...each and everyone of them. Not once did any of them have any LOVE in their hearts. When they gave, they gave begrudgingly out of duty and obligation, or they gave as hypocrites, as a show, to show others how prosperous they were. Not once did any of them give freely out of LOVE in their hear
Oh, there is no question that some of them did some good. However, they did it only if they got something in return. Some of them even did good because they were afraid of going to hell. You see, they were dealmakers with the Lord, always trying ways to placate God, and. then going off and doing their own thing. But they never LOVED God or their fellow man. Making man-made deals with God is not LOVE. It is not the SPIRITUAL FREEDOM and individual spiritual responsibility I left them. No, such conduct is spiritual slavery and blind obedience to their man-made traditions. It is not THE LAW OF LOVE, but a man-made law of fear. Moreover, My Father and I are not to be feared, but to be LOVED. We are to be worshipped by LIVING THE FAITH OF LOVE.
And finally, My Dear Friend, said the Son. How can I let your town's people in the kingdom All those who dwell herein got in by their LOVE. They suffered by following the hard road of LOVE. They paid the price on Earth, while your people refused to. It just would -at be fair. Would it Shall My Lambs be forced to sleep with snakes Yes, the path is wide, but the entrance gate is narrow, and few there are who enter in. The Dummy was dumbfounded. He did not know what else to say in defense of his town's people. In his heart, he knew The Master was right. While on Earth, the town's people claimed to know The Master, 8;ut the master they knew was of their own creation. They had not followed the ways of The Master, but had created their own ways to follow the ways of the world. Now, The Master did not recognize them. For they were not of Him, but of themselves. None of them had LOVED. Each had been selfish. They had been in-love-with their selves, but had never LOVED anyone else.
As 'the Dummy thought of these things, he began to cry. For despite all the terrible things the town s people had done to him, he always had, and still did, LOVE his people. He would be lonely in Heaven without them. He would miss them. And 'the Dummy's cries turned into loud wails, which were heard throughout Heaven. Tears rolled down his face, and yes, even down the faces of everyone else in Heaven. For the citizens of Heaven really do know, what LOVE is all about. For everyone in Heaven had come to LOVE 'the Dummy because he was one of them - a person of LOVE. And the town's people outside the gates also began to cry. For now they realized what they had done wrong. They had refused to LOVE God and their fellow man. For without LOVE, there is nothing.
That is the story's end.
The only question remaining is: Did the town's people ever get into the kingdom of Heaven Honestly, I don't know. However, I do know one thing, and I will always remember it. That out of the great LOVE of 'the Dummies of this world, so are fashioned the KEYS to the Kingdom of Heaven .
COMMENT. Just because a person claims to be a religious person does not necessarily mean he is a good. person. And. just because a person claims to be a good does not necessarily mean he is --- a spiritually LOVING person. Without genuine LOVE, there are no spiritual guarantees of salvation.
There once was a deaf and dumb man who grew up and lived in a certain town. The town was the most respected and prosperous one in the whole county. The people of the town never liked the man. In fact, they mocked and ridiculed him. They thought he was 'stupid because he was uneducated, and could not hear or talk. They gave him a nickname. Insulting him calling him 'the Dummy . The children used to taunt him by making faces at 'the Dummy . Children follow their parents example. You have to be taught to hate, innocents are not born with it. Besides its always easy to emotionally sadistically beat up emotionally of the little gut who cant fight back against the group. People will do terrible evil in a group they would never consider doing alone.
SPIRITUAL STORIES
10:55 AM 11/24/03
THE TOWN OF THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN
By StephenJames .
There once was a deaf and dumb man who grew up and lived in a certain town. The town was the most respected and prosperous one in the whole county. The people of the town never liked the man. In fact, they mocked and ridiculed him. They thought he was 'stupid because he was uneducated, and could not hear or talk. They gave him a nickname. Insulting him calling him 'the Dummy . The children used to taunt him by making faces at 'the Dummy . Children follow their parents example. You have to be taught to hate, innocents are not born with it. Besides its always easy to emotionally sadistically beat up emotionally of the little gut who cant fight back against the group. People will do terrible evil in a group they would never consider doing alone.
Through the years, this unrelenting abuse deeply hurt the deaf and dumb man. very unhappy inside. He was happy only was when his mother took him to church. Since he was deaf, he could not understand what was going on during the services. All he knew was, when he was in church, he felt safe. The rest of the town's people attended this same church. In the church, they did not seem to be as threatening or as mean. They would sing beautiful hymns, ring the church bells, hear their pastor's sermon, and place large amounts of. money in the collection plate. The Deaf and Dumb man was amazed since he and his mother were poor and never saw so much money. In fact, the town's financial &generosity was so great their pastor constantly praised their generosity.. They even bought for the church very expensive stained-glass windows. The people in adjoining towns said this church was the best. It was the most beautiful church in the entire county because it had stained-glass windows, which told Bible stories.
After the services, the pastor would greet and hug his parishioners, thanking them for their generosity However, the pastor never greeted 'the Dummy , Instead he ignored him because he was embarrassed as to how to relate to the poor man. The pastor was a highly intelligent well-educated man who had very profound things to say. He thought 'the Dummy would not understand, so he ignored him.
Now the people of the town saw themselves as good people . They followed all the rules and obeyed all the laws. . In short they got along with one another. They said they believed in teamwork. Because it was mutually beneficial to do so. ;In other words, they did this because they believed. this would help everyone prosper. However, deep in their heart of hearts, they did not like or trust one another. They would gossip and talk behind each other's back. To be honest, they had little affection for one another.
However, when it came to 'the Dummy , not one of them was afraid to hide his hostility. They relentlessly tormented 'the Dummy . For all people posses a great amount of anger which builds up under the stresses of life, and people find way to release that anger against someone or something that cant cause them injury or embarrassment in return. It is what others call the many against the defenseless few. Like what happened in 1930 s Germany during WW II. It is like what happened in slavery and segregation in the American south against African-Americans.
Then one year, around Christmas time, something: happened which would have long term effects on the town. A beggar came into the town. He was dressed in dirty rags, had a long tangled beard, and looked like he had not taken a bath in a very long time. The truth was the beggar smelled. He was hungry and thirsty. He had not eaten in quite some time, so he stood on the street and begged for food or money to buy food. However, the town's people ignored his pleas. They did not want to be bothered with such a loser. They did not want to get involved. They had their own troubles to worry about. After a time, the town's people became irritated with the beggar. They thought he was a pest , and called the police. They said to the policeman, Get this bum off our streets. He is bothering people by his begging.
Besides, it doesn't look good for business. Who knows, he might be a robber or a thief He might steal from us. You never know when poor people are going to commit a crime to get what the need. Besides, the guy is just probably faking poverty and has lots of money hidden. He is a con man. Anyway, we do not want lazy bums in our town. 'the Bum is probably a drunk, or a dope addict, or something like that. We don't want his kind around here. Get rid of him. Throw 'the Bum out! So yelled the town's people. Things were fomenting into riot the police thought. So the policemen put 'the Bum , in the patrol car and drove him to the edge of the town. 'the Bum was warned never to return. However, 'the Bum was a very stubborn man. He immediately returned to the town, and, once again, began begging on the main street.
The people of the town were furious at his defiance of authority. Once again, they formed a crowd around 'the Bum , yelling and screaming at him, demanding he leave. However, 'the Bum silently stood in place refusing to leave. Instead, he continued to ask them for money to buy food and drink. This only made the people more angry, and they called the policeman again to have him arrested. The policeman arrived and was in the process of arresting 'the Bum, when 'the Dummy just happened to be walking by. When 'the Dummy saw what was happening, he took pity on 'the Bum. For, you see, 'the Dummy knew what it was like to suffer humiliation and derision by crowds. Bullyism. 'the Dummy a large and very strong man physically intervened and would not allow the police to arrest 'the Bum .
Instead, 'the Dummy , stared the crowd in the eyes defiantly, and took hold of one of 'the Bum's arms in an attempt to lead him away. However, the policeman took hold of 'the Bum's other arm, and would not let go. A tug-of-war developed. The policeman would. not let go he feared losing his job by looking weak and not in authority. On the other hand, 'the Dummy was determined to free 'the Bum from the policeman's grasp, and building hatred of the crowd. The people were furious with 'the Dummy's interference. But 'the Dummy was a courageous man, and he stood his ground. When the crowd started screaming, Arrest 'the Bum 'the Dummy just stared each of them in the eyes. 'the Dummy's piercing eyes embarrassed them into silence. They became afraid. For he had a way of looking into men's very souls, and exposing their hypocrisy. In addition, they thought he might take revenge on them for their years of mistreatment. So, The. town's people relented, and told the policeman allowed 'the Dummy . to take 'the Bum away.
'the Dummy took 'the Bum to his home. He sat him down at the kitchen table, and. cooked him a great and tasty meal. He let 'the Bum take a bath, shave, and get cleaned. up. 'the Dummy was shocked when 'the Bum came out of the bathroom. When 'the Bum was cleaned up, he no longer looked like a beggar, but like a handsome young man who seemed to radiate a air of wisdom about himself. 'the Dummy gave 'the Bum his best Sunday clothes to wear, and keep.
Although they never spoke a word, 'the Dummy could see feel, 'the Bum genuinely liked him. There are some people who can look into the souls of others and see exactly what they are like. 'the Dummy excitedly showed 'the Bum pictures of his loving mother who had recently passed away. 'the Bum smiled when he saw the photographs. For the rest of the night, they both just sat at the kitchen table, simply enjoying one another's company. Just being with one another gave them peace. When 'the Dummy saw 'the Bum getting sleepy, he led him to his bedroom. He had put clean sheets on his bed,
so 'the Bum would have a good nights rest. They both went to sleep 'the Bum in 'the Dummy's bed, and 'the Dummy on the hard kitchen floor.
The next morning, 'the Dummy went into the bedroom to wake up 'the Bum . To prepare breakfast. However,. to 'the Dummy's shock, surprise and sorrow. 'the Bum was gone. 'the Dummy rushed from rushed to the train station his home searching for 'the Bum . He looked everywhere, but 'the Bum was nowhere to be found. He simply disappeared.. 'the Dummy mourned the disappearance of 'the Bum. He felt deep feelings of loneliness those who society ignore. He had not known 'the Bum long, but he felt as if he had lost a brother.
As the years passed, 'the Dummy would often think about 'the Bum remembering what a kind,
sensitive, and wise man he had seemed to be.
And then, late one summer, a great tragedy struck 'the Dummy's town. A great storm. blew up from nowhere and seemed to attack the town. Heavy rains fell and. flooded the entire community. Then numerous tornadoes set down and destroyed all the buildings killing all of the people, including 'the Dummy. Where there once was a great town nothing was left, not even the beautiful church. There was not one stone left standing on another. The town was leveled, as if an atomic explosion had taken place. Everything was desolate. There was death everywhere. The press reported. There were no survivors.
When the town's people and 'the Dummy woke up after dying, they saw the gates of a great and wondrous kingdom. For death is merely falling asleep to this world and awakening in another. The kingdom was so beautiful, it was indescribable. They had never seen anything like it on Earth. They rushed towards the entrance. They tried to get in the gates, but they were closed and locked. Then they saw a man with keys in his hands come out from the gates. They knew in their hearts this man was St. Peter, and they were standing at the gates of Heaven. They cheered as St. Peter walked toward them believing he had come to let them in. However, he-had a serious look on his face, and he told them he did not have the authority to allow them in the kingdom. Instead, he would have to go and fetch The Father of the kingdom. The town's people would need His permission to enter.
When The Father walked through the gates, the town's people were overjoyed, and rushed to Him The Father was so beautiful, wise, and LOVING, no one could resist Him. He gave off a LIGHT OF LOVE which was like a magnet, which drew people to Him. As the people rushed as usual, they brushed aside 'the Dummy . 'the Dummy ended up at the back of the long line - the very last person. Nevertheless 'the Dummy did not care, he was used to that sort of treatment, always the last man - the odd man out.
At first, The Father greeted His children, the town's people, warmly. But then His mood changed, and He began to ask serious questions of the people. He said, When you were on Earth, My children, what did. you do for Me . The town's people answered happily, Father, on Earth, we built You a beautiful church. We bought a big bell for it, and a giant organ. We even bought stained-glass windows. We had the most beautiful church in the whole county. We sang beautiful hymns to You. We worshipped You in beautiful services and ceremonies. We honored You in every way possible. All the people in the surrounding towns all said we had the best church. Every time the pastor asked us for money, we gave it, and we gave generously. We were always right there with our checkbooks and. pens in hand. (When they said this, the pastor nodded. letting The Father know this was true.) We did. Everything we could for You, Father, because we loved You. We think we deserve to enter Your kingdom. Can we, now, come in
However, before The Father could answer them, a young man appeared at the right hand of The Father. His appearance was splendid. He was filled with beauty, wisdom, and LOVE. Instantly, in their hearts, the town's people knew this was the Son of The Father. It was The Master, our Lord, Jesus Christ. It was Jesus who had come to Earth, and given them the Faith, which they called their religion. Then The Father said the town's people, 'this, My children, is My Son who I LOVE, and in whom I am well-pleased. The decision of whether or not you shall enter My kingdom, I leave up to Him. He judges such matters.
Then the town's people rushed toward the Son, entreating Him to allow them to come into the kingdom. However, when they reached the Son something happened which surprised them. The Son's image changed. He was transformed. He no longer was the beautiful Son, He became The Bum . Yes, the very bum they had tormented and thrown out of their town. The people became worried, and frightened at the sight.
'the Bum was silent. He walked through the crowd to the back of the line where 'the Dummy stood. When 'the Dummy saw 'the Bum, he began to cry. His friend, 'the Bum had been no other than Jesus Christ, Himself. They embraced each other as two long lost friends. The town's people were dumbfounded at the sight. Then 'the Bum quietly led 'the Dummy through the gates into the kingdom leaving the rest of the town's people outside. As The Dummy entered the kingdom one could hear great cheers, songs, and rejoicing.
The town's people became irritated and jealous over what they had seen. They said to The Father, Father, this is not fair. If we had known 'the Bum was Your Son, we would have treated Him differently. We would have done things differently. Besides, Father, The Dummy could never even hear Your Word like we did. He never even sang beautiful songs to You like we did. He could not speak. He never worshipped You like we did. Why is he getting special treatment Why have not we been allowed into the kingdom, yet
The Father angrily answered the town's people, He, the one you insult by calling him dumb, he, it is true, never heard or spoke My Word. However, he did something more important. He listened to My Word written and singing in his heart. But you, My misguided children, heard My Word but did not listen to it. You did not put it into practice like 'the Dummy . In the end, tell Me, who was really deaf and dumb You, or My new-found son, the one you call 'the Dummy .
After saying that, The Father turned from the town's people and walked back into His kingdom. The town's people stood there dumbfounded; not knowing what to say or do next. Then St. Peter walked up to every, town's person and gave them a special mirror. When they looked into these mirrors, they saw themselves as they truly were, not as they thought of or saw themselves. not even as other people saw them, no, they saw themselves as 'the Bum and 'the Dummy had seen them. When they looked in the mirrors, they saw that they were monsters. In fright, they threw the mirrors on the ground breaking them. They could not bear to look anymore, for they saw they were not worthy to enter the kingdom.
To make things worse, St. Peter left them and went back into the kingdom closing and locking the gates behind him. There was complete silence as the town's people fell into a deep mood of depression. Would. they ever be allowed to enter the. Kingdom of Heaven Then the silence was broken. The town's people heard a man's voice coming from the kingdom within. Someone was pleading with and even begging 'the Bum , the Son, to allow the town's people to enter the kingdom. After a time, the town's people realized, in their hearts, who it was. It was the voice of 'the Dummy who they were hearing speak for the first time. 'the Dummy's voice echoed loudly throughout Heaven. The town's people were shocked to hear him defending them. Despite all their abuse, all the time 'the Dummy had LOVED each of them. His LOVE was so great he had forgiven them.
However, then the voice of the Son was heard loudly throughout Heaven. He answered 'the Dummy by saying, My Dear Friend, you, who they called 'the Dummy . How can I let your town's people into the kingdom When I dwelled on Earth, I gave them two COMMANDMENTS they had to obey to be worthy to enter the kingdom. They were this: They had to LOVE My Father with their whole minds, their whole hearts, their whole souls, and with all their might. And they were to LOVE their neighbor, their fellow man, even strangers, as they LOVED themselves.. They were to LOVE each other as I had LOVED them. And yes, they were even to LOVE their enemies. But, what did your town's people do They worshipped Me and My Father with their lips but their hearts were far from Us. They worshipped Us the way they wanted to, not the way We wanted to be worshipped. No, they did not listen to the Holy Spirit who spoke wisdom to their hearts, the One sent to guide them. No, instead, they preferred to listen to themselves. They followed their own prejudices, personal opinions, and human wisdom. No, they did not want to LOVE God and their fellow man ... they wanted, and were in-Love with themselves. They took My Good News, My Message, 'the Faith , and turned it into a convenient religion of their own creation. They conveniently abandoned my LAW OF LOVE for obedience to a bunch of man-made rules and regulations based upon their own traditions. They thought this easy way would get them into the kingdom. They did not want to walk the difficult way of LOVE. Instead, they built beautiful churches, sang beautiful songs, performed beautiful services ... they even bought stained-glass windows. All of this meant nothing because they had no LOVE in their hearts. That was their downfall.
