Sheep and goats

The Beloved will sit on the throne and they will gather on the right and on the left. And the Beloved will say to those on the right, “Enter into my joy, for I came to you and you received me; I appeared before you and you noticed me; I worked my miracles and you ignored me.”

And they will say, “When did you come to us and we received you, or appear before us and we noticed, or work your miracles and we responded?”

And the Beloved will answer them: “When you were burdened by your worries and instead you opened your heart to the homeless person, you received me. When you were heartbroken at injustice but didn’t know what to do, you noticed me. When you longed for God and despaired of being worthy, and you kept longing. Whatever you do to the least of your awakenings you do to me.”

And the Beloved will say to those on the left, “You have chosen exile and abandonment, for I appeared to you, and you ignored me. I came to you and you separated yourself. I worked my miracles and you turned me away.”

And they will say, “When did you appear to us, or come to us, or work your miracles, and we turned away?”

And the Beloved will say, “When you felt wonder at the stars, or beheld the suffering of the world, you thought it didn’t include you. When you witnessed injustice you thought it was somebody else’s fault. When you had that awful question you didn’t ask it. When you felt the fear of your heart falling open in the darkness, you stitched it tight with pious beliefs. Whatever you did not do in the least of your awakenings you did not do to me.”

And even in their despair, they will choose.

   —July 16, 2018

 

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