The Angelic Occurrence

by Henry K. Ripplinger

  “‘Only love counts.’

  “‘My dear Syd, you came into the world naked and that is the way you come to the gates of heaven; naked. The only thing that you have of value when you come here is what is in your heart! Words, deeds, actions backed by a sincere heart to serve God and your neighbour has value; everything else counts for nothing.’

  “As they spoke there was a constant stream of people going through the pearly gates. Some were trying to make it on foot behind Syd but most were flying through the air accompanied by their guardian angel. It had distracted Syd earlier but he was so focused on getting into heaven that he didn’t mention it until now. He was bumped into by a low flying guardian angel that was lifting a man in his charge just high enough to skim over the ground.

  “Syd had a quizzical look on his face as he turned back to the holy saint. ‘Why is it that all these people are flying into heaven while I and many behind me are trudging through this wet dirt and …’ Syd looked behind him and then to St. Peter and continued, ‘And where is my guardian angel? Didn’t I have one while on earth?’

  “‘You ask many questions Mr. Accumulate More, or rather Syd, let me answer them one at a time. Look up and study closely the people entering heaven…what do you notice?’

  “It was immediately obvious to Syd. ‘They all have brightness about them…yes, and it seems that the higher they fly the brighter they are.’

  “Syd looked down and continued… ‘And the ones that come close to ground level…their brightness is almost gone…’

  “Syd’s expression turned serious as it began to dawn on him what was going on…

  “‘That is a very astute observation, Syd. Let me explain; the more a person grew close to Jesus on earth and filled themselves with His word, they moved ever more into God’s light. Many ignored to do this and remained in the darkness. The apostle Matthew talks about this in the scripture 6:21 when he says;

  “The eyes are the lamp of the soul. If they are clear then the spirit will be filled with light (God’s word ) but if the eyes are clouded (by the values of the world) the whole body is filled with darkness…’

  “‘You see, Syd, the eye’s reflect what a man treasures in his heart. Those who understood this and placed Jesus at the centre of their lives are now reaping what they have sown during their life-time.’ St. Peter looked up and continued, ‘They were content with far less than you amassed for sure, but they were happier on earth than you and look at how many are coming in even as we speak. They have an automatic admission. Look at the aura of light around them and see how happy their guardian angel is as they escort them through the gates! They sought first the kingdom of God…’

  “St. Peter didn’t finish, he knew the man before him was beginning to understand, but the wisdom of God’s word was coming too late.

  “‘Look! There is Isabel, look at her go and up so high! She is filled with so much light she almost blends into the light where God resides. And look there, her guardian angel can hardly keep up with her! Wow! She is so free! We knew she was always just one step on this side of heaven.’

  “Syd had to admit that just the sight of her soaring through the heavens lifted his spirits. He had to ask. ‘What did she do on earth?’

  “‘She had a car accident and was paralyzed from the neck down. She was in the prime of her life when it happened. Only 16 and yet, she accepted her condition and made the best of it.’

  “‘There was one thing however that imprisoned her. She couldn’t forgive the person that caused her accident. Isabel was such a beautiful person deep down but the spirit of unforgiveness overshadowed it all. It’s much like a room filled with beautiful flowers. If the light bulb burns out you can no longer see the beauty that was there. Slowly the spirit dies just like the flowers without the light.’

  “‘Then one day she accepted Jesus into her heart and asked to see the person who had been the cause of so much pain and long suffering and forgave him.’

  “‘Like I said Syd, that was some day. The entire heavens sang in praise of her coming home. After that, she never complained, was cheerful, kind, patient, in fact people loved to come see her and were so inspired by her attitude and acceptance of what life handed her. As I mentioned, too, she suffered much pain in life as well, but once again she accepted it and offered it up to God as a prayer to heal the world.’

  “‘In fact, Syd, the man that bumped into you a few minutes ago is one of the recipients of Isabel’s offering and prayers. His guardian is taking him to a place where we he will be filled with more light so eventually he can fly on his own and make it into heaven.’

  “‘Is he going into purgatory?’ Syd wanted to know.

  “‘Yes, that is a good way to describe it. It is a cleansing process of sorts. But what I wanted to say was Isabel’s offering of her suffering to the Father was applied to him as well as to others who fell slightly short of entry into heaven. Perhaps his cleansing time will be reduced.’

  “‘Suffering is a mystery that is hard to understand and accept on earth and yet it does not go in vain if it’s offered up.’

  “‘When Jesus became man He too, suffered and died for mankind. He too, offered it up to the Father and look at the good that came out of it.’

  “St. Peter looked up at the continuous flow of earthlings into heaven and continued, ‘It would have been impossible for them to enter the pearly gates if it had not been for Jesus paying their debt with His life to the Father.’

  “Syd looked up and thought long and hard about what St. Peter had just said, tears beginning to rise.

  “‘And in regards to your guardian angel, Syd,.. unfortunately at the moment of your death, he was reassigned to another earthling…he tried so many times to prompt you on a more profitable path but you were always too busy to heed his warnings.’

  “Perspiration was beginning to form on Syd’s brow, he was slowly getting the picture of where he was at. If only he had taken the time to examine what he so treasured in his heart…

  “He was beginning to now. He could see that there was no aura around him like those flying above. There was hardly any difference between his colour and the dirt he was sunk into.

  “Desperately, he resorted to earthly methods.

  “He turned and pointed to his trailer once more. ‘All the gold and silver and money I have on the trailer I will give to God to pave more streets in gold. Send me to purgatory and take as long as necessary to pay for my sins. Please, St. Peter, ask God to have mercy on me.’

  “‘Oh, Mr. More, the streets of heaven may shine and sparkle like gold but they are paved with love. As I said, it is only acts of love that count…even a tiny, brief smile does not go unnoticed by the Father. Acts of kindness cause rejoicing in the kingdom and those who choose to forgive brings a smile on the Lord’s face. Patience, generosity, prayer, time spent with Jesus…these are the things that lift one into the light!’

  “‘But I was kind…

  “‘Yes, but look over your past life and tell me what you see. We do not judge people who come to our doorstep. You are judged by your own words, deeds and actions and the way you lived your life.’

  “Yes, he was kind but it lacked sincerity and most of the time it was to get something from the other or for show?

  “‘Look at your riches. How did you use your wealth? Did you give to the poor? Did you give to your starving and sickly brothers and sisters abroad? Did you feed the hungry, cloth the naked, help the sick?’

  “Syd looked down; his true heart revealed that he had done none of that out of love and service to others for Jesus’ sake. He was always self-centred and not God-centred.

  “But he was growing more and more desperate…

  “‘But St. Peter, I often put a $50.00 bill in the collection plate when I made it to church on Sunday.’

  “‘But did it come from your heart Mr. More?’


  “‘Many people present knew of my wealth, I would look like a cheapskate if I didn’t at least put something in the collection plate.’ The words that came out didn’t sound right, he wished now he hadn’t said them and so he offered, ‘But at least I did make an offering, doesn’t that count?’

  “‘Well, Syd, generosity is best kept a secret if possible. When one makes a showy display of it you have already received your reward, have you not?’

  “‘But…but God says to use your talents and gifts… I worked day and night to develop them. What about that. I wasn’t lazy like a lot of others.’

  “‘Yes, you have been a very diligent worker Mr. Accumulate More, but for whose benefit?’

  “It always comes down to whether or not it was to serve God and your fellow man or was it just for yourself?’

  “Once again Syd hung down his head; shame, regret and sorrow growing rapidly in his heart. His main goal was always on getting ahead, accumulating more. Even when he was in church on those rare occasions, even then his mind was on his bank account and how much less it would be with the money he put into the collection basket. His life before him revealed every secret, every thought and desire, every lie, every judgment, everything…there was nothing he could hide like he did on earth.

  “His sorrow and guilt were mixing with a surging fear…a dread of what awaits him.

  “The holy man before him knew his thoughts. He looked compassionately upon Syd…

  “‘Yes, Syd, you were a very rich man on earth, far more than many, but …spiritually you were bankrupt! Look at all the times, God in His divine providence tried over and over to make you aware of the danger besides your guardian angel. All the while your ears were deaf to the pastor’s sermons and admonishments. Did he not tell you that your purpose in life was to serve God and your fellowman? Did he not tell you that the gifts he gave to you were not just for yourself? Did he not tell you countless times that you must repent of your sins and come to Jesus and accept Him into your heart as your Lord and saviour? You were told that he is the bridge that you must go over to come to the Father. He is the way, the Truth and Life. No one comes to the Father except through His son. If you did not do this and sincerely commit your life to obey his commands and establish a relationship with him what else can the good Lord say when you come to His home but…I do not know you…’

  “Syd could see what treasures lay in his heart…the record was clear, every nook and cranny of his heart were exposed and there was no denying that spiritually his life was empty.

  “‘Is there any way St. Peter, I can make amends? Send me into purgatory, do whatever, but please let me in…’

  “‘I am sorry Mr. More your life has been lived so much in the darkness you wouldn’t be able to survive in the light. Even the ones that fly so low are placed in a dim area and as they repent they are gradually filled with light. Slowly as they are purified much as a precious metal is they can rise and come out.’

  “‘As I have said Syd, we do not judge you but rather it is the life that you have chosen to live that now determines your fate. St. Matthew in his gospel warned the people on earth that they cannot serve two masters. They will either love the one or hate the other…’

  “Syd fell on his knees. The scripture that he had heard several times during his life time glared at him now… What does it profit a man if he gains all the riches of the world but loses his own soul? The meaning hit his heart to the core but the wisdom came too late… if only he had spent time in prayer it would have come to him, but now…his time had run out.

  “Syd lowered his head and begged and pleaded…

  “But the saint was firm, ‘As you go back you will slowly come out of the mud and the way is easier to where you are going. You are not alone Syd. As you can see to your right and left, there are many others who are stuck and will have to go the other way, too. The residents of that kingdom will welcome you with open arms…’

  “With that St. Peter turned and walked away.”

  Just as Father picked up the alarm clock it went off startling him as well as the parishioners. “Ah, death can come just that quick.” He pushed the button down and spoke softly.

  “I say once again my brothers and sisters the clock of our lives is wound the moment we are conceived and when the time runs out there are no more precious moments of time to forgive, to show kindness, display a smile, be patient, to give generously of your wealth and time. Like Syd, we now walk towards our Lord and saviour to be judged by what we carry in our heart. It’s that simple, my friends. We will be judged by that. We saw what treasures were in Syd’s heart and hopefully we can learn from him. What treasures are in your heart that Jesus can reward? Don’t be so busy amassing riches and immersed in the values of the world that you are caught dead to a life that God cannot reward.

  “There is still time for you if you have not yet come to Him. He is waiting for you…come home to Him.

  “Many people doubt the existence of God because they have never taken the time to come to Him. To know Him. To experience His love and thus don’t take this seriously. The very fact that I am standing before you and you have the ability to see me, to hear me, to think and reason what I am saying and all the while trillions of cells are keeping your body and mind working in perfect harmony. This is a most incredible miracle. For anyone to think that this just happened on its own is as unwise and foolish to think that the jet plane that they see flying in the sky just suddenly appeared on its own as well. You would be quick to say don’t be silly, Father, it was made by brilliant engineers and technicians and tradesman. But who made these people, I ask? Who supplied the earth with all the ores and elements so that all these fine machines and everything else can be made? Only the foolish would say that it just happened on its own and that there is no great all knowing intelligence behind it all.

  “There is a God, meine lieben Geschwister in Christus, who is the creator of heaven and earth. He has designed and made things to follow a plan and order and purpose of which we are a part. Let us never forget that we are children of God here on earth to love and serve Him and others; to give our will to Him and to use our talents and gifts to collaborate with Him so that all people in the world can be saved.

  “As you can see from the story, it’s all about the light, my friends. It’s all about living in the Light of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We must remain in the vine to remain in the Light. Recognize our pride and our lofty thinking for what it is which keeps us from coming to Him. We cannot live a fruitful life on our own no matter how hard we try and no matter how much we own or possess, we will never be rich in spirit without Him. Syd may have been a very wealthy man but he was never content with what he had. Many have chosen to have less and were happier. The devil loves it when we fear poverty, and love possessions and strive to accumulate more all the while ignore the spiritual side of our lives. Riches and possessions become our God and not the real true God.

  “Meine leiben kinder, when you awoke this morning I pray you were glad and rejoiced in it. This is the day the Lord hath made for you. You have been given the gift of another day to get your house in order. Think carefully your thoughts, words and deeds. If you do what I have urged you to do over and over throughout the years, to pray and meditate on the word of Jesus and His teachings and to offer up your day and will to Him and allow Him to work through you, you will be in good hands when that moment comes and the alarm sounds.

  “Your heart will be so full of the treasures that God can reward and the light shining within you will be so bright that it will lift you high into the heavens just like your guardian angel. And together you will sing praises to our Father forever and ever.

  With tears filling his eyes Father opened his arms to his flock, “I love you with all my heart and so does Jesus. There is nothing that would make me happier than to know that each and every one of you has come home to Him.”
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br />   As Father went to his chair, Margaret came up to the podium and with the voice of an angel began to sing the song as Father had requested…

  Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling—

  Calling for you and for me;

  Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching—

  Watching for you and for me!

  Come home! Come home!

  Ye who are weary, come home!

  Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

  Calling, O sinner, come home!

  Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading—

  Pleading for you and for me?

  Why should we linger and heed not His mercies—

  Mercies for you and for me?

  Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing—

  Passing from you and from me;

  Shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming—

  Coming for you and for me!

  Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised—

  Promised for you and for me!

  Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon—

  Pardon for you and for me!

  Come home! Come home!

  Ye who are weary, come home!

  Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

  Calling, O sinner, come home!

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Jenny didn’t go home as soon as she had hoped. Further X-rays three days after her surgery showed another tumour developing on the right side near her liver. The doctors decided to start treatment immediately. So, instead of going home, Dr. Kreake insisted she stay in the hospital for the duration of her chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

  Jenny had just completed her ninth treatment when Dr. Kreake walked into her private room. She was beginning to lose her hair and was totally exhausted most days.

  “Hello, Jenny.”

  “Hi, Dr. Kreake.”

  Jenny smiled. She loved Dr. Kreake. He was the only thing that kept her going.

  “I like your bandana. Blue is your colour.”