A story was once related to us by our professor about the story of a man who asked God that, since God gave man free will, to let him choose after his death whether he goes to heaven or he goes to hell. But, before he will choose he also asked that God would let him see first both ends. And so, because God is so kind and generous God complied to the request of the man.
He first toured heaven. He was welcomed by St. Peter, the keeper of the gates of heaven and was opened with the pearly gates, old and gray. He saw scores of angels all praising but God. There was sumptuous foods and drinks. All that his heart desires is in heaven. He has all that he wanted to have. Total happiness and love. He was so overwhelmed by what he saw in heaven.
Next, he visited hell. But, hell is far more beautiful! Contrary to who welcomed him in heaven, he was welcomed in hell by a very dashing young man! Full of vigor and vitality - Satan. He was also opened by the pearly gates, far more bigger and brighter from what was in heaven. He was also delighted by the sumptuous foods and drinks. The rooms for those in hell are also far more towering than that in heaven. He was very much delighted for those in hell are younger than those in heaven and so, he wanted to be in hell. For in hell he can preserve his youth and enjoy far more than in heaven. He thought is the God in hell.
Going back to earth, he fixed his choice to Hell. So, he prepared himself. He done everything he could so as when he dies he may win for himself the eternal reward Satan has opened for himself in Hell's pearly gates. And so, he died!
He happily brought himself in front of Satan's pearly gates and knocking the doors it opened. There it was the lake of sulfur and fire opened for himself. People ash-colored lamenting. Spirits burning as black as night. There was gnashing and grinding of teeth.
He asked Satan lamenting: "What happened?" "Where are all the delights that you had promised?"
Satan replied: "You came here a tourist, now you are a citizen!"
There are so many rendition to this story. There is one rendition that the man was Bill Gates and when he asked Satan what happened to hell when it was so beautiful when he saw it Satan sarcastically replied: "Oh! It was just a screensaver that you saw."
I suddenly realized that this is an important anecdote to discernment. Especially that election is now fast approaching, we must know how to discern whether the appearances that the candidate shows is authentic or not. We must know whether it is the true value that a somebody shows. As St. John reminds us: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (John 4:1)
Yes, there are many false prophets which gone into the world and the very first responsibility that we have is to know whether which side of the coin we are in. We must know whether what we are conform to what we really is. We must be honest with ourselves because in the end it is ourselves that we also make perfect.
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