Gospel

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Take heed and beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees
.....they (disciples) reasoned
among themselves, saying
'It is because we have taken
no bread'...........
[Matthew 16:6-7]
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"Lord."

"What, My child."

"I've been reading Matthew..."

"Yes, child."

"So far, I don't know......."

"Yes?"

"All this talk about leaven
and unleavened bread, Lord:
I don't understand, Lord:
were You hungry while You
were telling these guys what
to write?"

"Why, child."

"Well, it's just all this
nonbuttered bread talk, Lord!
Now remember, I'm speaking
as a Jewish person, here....."

"Yes, child. I remember."

"What's with all this talk about
unleavened bread? It's
matzo; let's just get past
it, already.........
I mean, sometimes you
eat matzo plain, but
usually not; most people
like to eat it smeared
with cream cheese or,
perhaps, a little
chopped liver."

"I see, child."

"NO! I don't think You
DO! I don't think You
get the picture, AT ALL!"

"No?"

"No, I don't! I mean,
Lord, I don't understand
why more important things
weren't discussed."

"Like what, child."

"Okay, like, after the Flood,
why didn't You try to make
people and animals better?
I mean, You destroyed them
all - well, except maybe,
like, an 18th of a
percent - not even
that; so, why didn't You,
tone down some of the
physical ailments that
living things are born with?
Why not, Lord?
You were, like,
starting over, anyway......
Why didn't You take a second
look at all Your Creations,
and, You know, change
a couple things, here
and there? That's what
I would have done."

"Read My Word, child."

"Oh, You mean that part
in John? Yeah, here it is:

Jesus passed by...a man who
was blind from birth.....
His disciples asked Him.....
...who sinned.....that he was
born blind?............
Jesus answered, neither....
but that the works of God
should be revealed in him.
[John 9:1-3]

Okay. Yeah, Lord, but
that was, like, ONE guy;
what about all the other
millions of folks who
are born with stuff,
like that? Well?
What about THAT?"

"I am the Lord, child.
Read My Word."

"Oh. You mean that part in Isaiah, again?
Yeah, here it is:

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,
says the Lord.
[Isaiah 55:8]

Yeah, I know. I've read it, before."

"Then read it again, My precious."

"I HAVE read it, Lord! But......"

"But, what."

"Well, like, for instance, what
of all the suffering of animals?
Did You ever talk about THAT?
Animals don't sin; and
they've got these
horrible, terrible things
happen to them, all this needless
suffering...........things that we
can't do anything about......"

[GENTLY.]
"What is it, that you are
talking about, child?"

[Silence.]
"Well, for instance.....
like that abused kitty I heard about -
or even my own, with the painful
gum disease. It's very
harsh, Lord - You didn't
have to do that."

"Ah, I see."

"Well? WELL?
I don't see anything about
homeless dogs and cats
anywhere, in here."

"Where, child."

"Well, HERE!
(Wave hand over the
Bible.) Where is it,
Lord? I don't SEE it!
All I hear about is
BREAD......and, more
bread; it's MATZO, Lord!
Get OVER it!"

"EXCUSE Me, child?"

"It's a CRACKER, Lord!
It comes in a box!
Sometimes it's got salt;
sometimes, it DOESN'T!
Nowadays, you can get
it with cinnamon and
apple, or wheat
and honey flavored........"

"You're upset over the
cat, child."

"Yes. And, I can't do
anything about it. I
can't take her home,
and make her all better.
I can't do it."

"No."

"So, what do I care
about these Pharisees,
and what they ate,
or didn't eat?
Who CARES?
What does this have to
do with ME? I
never even heard of these
guys, before."

"Before what, child?"

"Uh.......You know........
before I started reading
about Jesus. I didn't
even know what a Pharisee
WAS."

"And now, you do?"

"Sort of; they were,
I don't know......a
bunch of bad guys,
who did, or didn't -
eat matzo?"

[SMILE.]
"Are you going to
finish reading
Matthew, child?"

"Yeah. I'll finish it.
Though, I have to tell
You, it took some digging
on the internet to find
out what the......eh.....heck,
a 'tare' was...........You
know, Lord; I've always
been sort of a city person."

"Yes, My precious.
I know.
[SILENCE.]
And, what should
you do, child, when
you have finished
reading Matthew?"

"Eh........I don't
know, Lord:
worry about how
I'm going to pay
the vet bill? Finish
doing the laundry?"

"And?"

"Eh..........I DON'T KNOW;
make a sandwich, for
work tomorrow?"

"Read It, child."

"What? Huh?
I don't understand."

"Read It, child.
Read It, again."
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His disciples came to Him,
saying,
Explain to us the parable
of the tares of the field.
[Matthew 13:36]

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