Heaven

Yes, it’s for angels. It’s a Wonderful Life. Clarence rings the bell.

I read that Pope Francis is about to let Jews into Heaven. Permit me some space.

In college I was forced to take two philosophy courses and two religion courses, they were all religion. One philosophy course, the Friar said don’t think, just repeat what I tell you on the weekly multiple choice exam.

Forced into a religion course because the teacher (not a Friar) didn’t have enough students to stay, I took American Evangelical Tradition. I was 18 and didn’t know better. He was called “D for Dalton.” He gave everyone a D.

We learned about speaking in tongues, snake handling and tent revivals and he told us we’d have to do doctoral-level work. I was 18. I wrote my 20-page thesis on the financial practices of Billy Graham. He didn’t like it and gave me a D.

Dad told me if I ever got anything under a C, I would be taken out of school and have to leave home and get work without a degree. I was paying 1/3 of my tuition and wasn’t allowed to work during school. At summer break I packed everything up and went home to tearfully tell him I got a D. He asked what happened, then said “it was only religion. And I said a D average!”

Yes, I was Deans’ List after that and started going to Mass. Even getting rides to a Latin Mass downtown. My priest, mentor, advisor, teacher and friend died last year.

I do not know what will happen to me, or about heaven. I am glad the HRC church decided on a Franciscan, for once, who cares about living beings. As a lapsed Catholic, I wonder what authority he has to allow Jews into heaven. If it’s the Heaven I envision the Jewish people have been there for many thousands of years and do not need Pope Francis to gain entry.

Perhaps if I’d written my thesis on this I might have gotten an A. Or a B, he didn’t give out A’s. Just my thoughts as I watch the sunrise. Dee