peterdavid
20th November 2004, 00:01
Two fiipinos were at the gates of Heaven, waiting to be admitted to the afterlife.
The first guy was a highly respected priest. He was well regarded in his local community and had devoted his entire life to god. He prayed 15 times a day and worked tirelessly to spread God's word amongst the people.
Peter, the chief archangel, called the priest forward. "Name?", he asked the priest.
"Father John B. Asuncion" came the reply.
"And your job was...?"
"I was a highly devoted priest who prayed ceaselessy every day and never stopped doing the work of the Lord".
"Ah, yes, we you name here" Peter said. With that he gave the priest an old wooden crook, some poor quality, dull-coloured robes and pointed to a group of similarly dressed, dowdy looking people in a corner.
"You'll be with them" Peter said. The priest was a little shocked - surely after all his years of servitude to God he would be rewarded with a better place in heaven than this. Still, he thought, humbly, maybe my deeds were not as great as some others - perhaps there are other religious men who have done far worthier deeds - and with that he moved to his appointed corner, but continued watching the queue of people registering to come into Heaven.
The next person at the front of the queue was a particularly shabby looking and unkempt man, who looked like he hadn't washed for a few days, hadn't had a haircut in years and who was covered in diesel oil.
"Name..?" asked Peter.
"Daniel T. Revilla" came the reply.
"And your job was...?"
"I was a jeepney driver", said he jeepney driver.
"Oh yes, we've been waiting for you sir", said Peter, overcome with respect and admiration. With that he gave him the finest, most magnificent golden crook, the most luxurious golden satin robes and told him to go and wait in the opposite corner to the priest. This corner was full of people similarly dressed, and in this corner, the brightest light of heaven constantly shone over them.
The priest was a bit taken aback and finally plucked up the courage to have a chat with Peter.
"Erm, excuse me, Peter, sir, I think there may be some mistake. In my life I was a highly devoted priest, I prayed endlessly every day and I spread the Lord's work as far and wide as I could. I have spent every minute of my adult life in the service of the Lord, and yet on reaching heaven, I'm given a poor wooden crook, these awful clothes and told my place in heaven is with these less than worthy people. And that the guy after me is just a jeepney driver and he gets rewarded with a place in the brightest part of heaven. I don't understand", he said.
"Ah well", replied Peter, "you see, up here, we're only interested in results".
"How do you mean", asked the Priest.
"Well", said Peter, "when you hold your sermons and church services, all the people in your congretation fall to sleep. But when the jeepney driver drives his jeepney, everybody starts praying".
The first guy was a highly respected priest. He was well regarded in his local community and had devoted his entire life to god. He prayed 15 times a day and worked tirelessly to spread God's word amongst the people.
Peter, the chief archangel, called the priest forward. "Name?", he asked the priest.
"Father John B. Asuncion" came the reply.
"And your job was...?"
"I was a highly devoted priest who prayed ceaselessy every day and never stopped doing the work of the Lord".
"Ah, yes, we you name here" Peter said. With that he gave the priest an old wooden crook, some poor quality, dull-coloured robes and pointed to a group of similarly dressed, dowdy looking people in a corner.
"You'll be with them" Peter said. The priest was a little shocked - surely after all his years of servitude to God he would be rewarded with a better place in heaven than this. Still, he thought, humbly, maybe my deeds were not as great as some others - perhaps there are other religious men who have done far worthier deeds - and with that he moved to his appointed corner, but continued watching the queue of people registering to come into Heaven.
The next person at the front of the queue was a particularly shabby looking and unkempt man, who looked like he hadn't washed for a few days, hadn't had a haircut in years and who was covered in diesel oil.
"Name..?" asked Peter.
"Daniel T. Revilla" came the reply.
"And your job was...?"
"I was a jeepney driver", said he jeepney driver.
"Oh yes, we've been waiting for you sir", said Peter, overcome with respect and admiration. With that he gave him the finest, most magnificent golden crook, the most luxurious golden satin robes and told him to go and wait in the opposite corner to the priest. This corner was full of people similarly dressed, and in this corner, the brightest light of heaven constantly shone over them.
The priest was a bit taken aback and finally plucked up the courage to have a chat with Peter.
"Erm, excuse me, Peter, sir, I think there may be some mistake. In my life I was a highly devoted priest, I prayed endlessly every day and I spread the Lord's work as far and wide as I could. I have spent every minute of my adult life in the service of the Lord, and yet on reaching heaven, I'm given a poor wooden crook, these awful clothes and told my place in heaven is with these less than worthy people. And that the guy after me is just a jeepney driver and he gets rewarded with a place in the brightest part of heaven. I don't understand", he said.
"Ah well", replied Peter, "you see, up here, we're only interested in results".
"How do you mean", asked the Priest.
"Well", said Peter, "when you hold your sermons and church services, all the people in your congretation fall to sleep. But when the jeepney driver drives his jeepney, everybody starts praying".