Gospel

---

Then,
Jesus said to them,
'...beware
of the leaven
of the Pharisees...'
And they
reasoned
among themselves...
'It is because
we have taken
no bread.'
[Matthew 16:6-7]
***********************
"I don't understand
why those
apostles were
such bumpkins,
Lord."

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"I keep forgetting, Lord;
Your first language isn't
English."
(Look up.)
"'Bumpkin' is .....
sort'a.. a combination of..
'pumpkin head', and 'bumbler'".

[SMILE.]

"A 'BUMBLER' is....."

[PATIENT NOD.]
"I know,
My child."

"WELL?"

[PATIENT VOICE.]
"What,
child."

"SO?
Why didn't Jesus
pick smarter PEOPLE?"

[CALM NOD.]
"For what,
My precious."

"Aren't You LISTENING?"
(Squint up at ceiling.)
"I'm talkin' about those
DISCIPLES! THOSE
DISCIPLES!"

[BECKONING TO AN
ANGEL STANDING IN
THE DOORWAY OF
THE THRONE ROOM.
THIS ANGEL IS NEITHER
HANDSOME, NOR MUSCLE-
BOUND. IN FACT, HE'S
KIND OF CHUBBY. THE
LOOK ON HIS PLUMP
FACE IS NEITHER SOLEMN
NOR FEARLESS.
IT'S SORT OF A WOE-
IS-ME COUNTENANCE.]
[NOD.]
"Go on,
My precious."

"They just didn't
seem all that ...SWIFT..
to me!"

"Perhaps, they
weren't chosen for
their swiftness,
My beloved."

"I DOUBT that!
Heck, they NEVER
understood those
PARABLES!"
(Rueful squint at the
ceiling fan.)
"And.....how about
at the Last SUPPER?"

[SMILING AT THE
CHUBBY, WOEFUL-
FACED ANGEL. LEAN
FORWARD TO GIVE
THE ANGEL
AN ENCOURAGING HUG.
LEAN BACK ON THE
THRONE.]
[NOD.]
"What about It,
My precious."

"How come they
didn't have a CLUE,
about JUDAS? WHY
didn't they all JUMP
on him, or somethin'?
....Make him STOP?"

[TALKING LOVINGLY
TO THE WOEFUL-FACED
ANGEL. SMILING.
GIVE SNIFFLING
ANGEL A HANKY, FOR
HIM TO BLOW HIS
CHUBBY NOSE.]
[PATIENTLY LISTENING
TO ARGUMENTATIVE
CHILD.]
"He couldn't be
stopped,
My child."

"How come all those
guys were with Judas,
for three YEARS....
and didn't have a clue...
about, what he was LIKE?"

"Perhaps,
because they weren't
meant to,
My beloved."

"It's too bad,
Clint Eastwood...
wasn't THERE!"

[TALKING SOFTLY
TO THE SOBBING,
CHUBBY ANGEL.]
[LISTENING PATIENTLY
TO OVER-IMAGINATIVE,
N'ER-DO-WELL
CHILD.]
[NODDING.]

"Heck, he wouldn't 'a
let that JUDAS...
get to the DOOR!
THAT guy
would'a been
MINCEMEAT!"

[CHUCKLING.]
"I understand,
My beloved."

"YEAH!
Clint would'a said,
while holding a big
rifle and chewing
on a long cigar...
and, wearing a
black, cowboy hat..
'Go ahead, JUDAS!
Go ahead, and put
your grimmy little
hand, on that
..DOORKNOB!
Go AHEAD, and make
my DAY!"

[LOOK OVER TO
THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE THRONE.]
[PATIENT SIGH.]

"YEAH!
Remember 'CASABLANCA?'
That scene, at the end...
with Humphrey BOGART..and that NAZI?
When he said, while
holding the gun out,
and one hand in the
pocket of his white
40's jacket...
'Get AWAY... from that PHONE!'"?

[SMILING.]
"Yes,
My beloved."

"You SAW THAT,
LORD?"

[SENDING WOEFUL,
CHUBBY ANGEL OUT,
AGAIN, TO GO AND
COMFORT ANOTHER
HURTING HUMAN.]
[PATIENT NOD.]
"Yes,
My child."

"WELL?
How come Jesus
didn't have a savvy,
avenging apostle,
like Bogart,
in 'CASABLANCA'?"

"Because,
child."
[PATIENT SMILE.]
"The Movie
would have had
an entirely
different
Ending."
**********************
And
having dipped
the bread,
He gave it
to
Judas Iscariot...
having received
the piece of
bread,
he then
went out
immediately.
And,
it was night.
[John 13:26-30]

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE