Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 88 -
BISHOP MARTIN IS GREETED BY THE HAPPY PARTY. - HIS REFERENCE TO THE LORD AS THE SOLE BENEFACTOR -THE ONE THING STILL MISSING.
Bishop Martin emerges, together with Borem, from behind the rather extensive protective screen, and about fifteen hundred jubilant guests come forward to meet him. They greet him and thank him for looking after them when they first arrived and for his wise teachings which they took with them on their journey of trials.
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They all express their great joy and even greater love and respect, which makes our Bishop Martin very happy. He is particularly glad to see from their good looks that they are on the best way and have already attained a state of inner refinement.
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He looks at the party with great pleasure, quite surprised at their good appearance, and only after a while does he say:
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(Bishop Martin): "My dearest friends, brothers and sisters, I am so very glad for you and also happy about your kindness to me. However, you must not praise and thank me for your salvation and that you now find yourselves in the forecourt to the true Kingdom of Heaven. AU praises and thanks are due to the Lord alone, Whose boundless grace has changed you in such a wonderful way. As for me, just love me as your brother who shares with you the same God and Lord as a Father.
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Let us love this one and only, truest and holiest Father forever, beyond measure. He alone works all things, and is all things to all men. Therefore, all the honor and glory, thanks and praise , be due to Him alone!
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I myself, and this dear friend and brother here, have witnessed how the Lord alone guided you, how He removed all the trash from your hearts, and how He fought for your sake a fierce battle against hell.
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Therefore, let us all open our hearts wide and admit the Lord of Glory? May He come soon into our hearts and dwell there forever!"
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Hearing such words from their host, the party becomes like transfigured and praises the Lord for giving man such great might and wisdom. Then all the leaders of the party go to Bishop Martin and beg him to be allowed to stay with him as his lowest servants.
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(Bishop Martin): "Friends, not as my servants, but as my dearest brothers and sisters may you stay here forever and share everything the Lord has provided me with so abundantly. Without you, this boundless splendor and magnificence would be only a burden to me. But together with you I could really enjoy it as it would enable me to give you joy and happiness.
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Oh, do stay here, all of you, and share my joy in the Lord, Who has prepared for us such a vast and magnificent dwelling in His Kingdom and, as I can now see, also a table with the most delicious bread and wine in an abundance to last forever. And all this without even one of us having deserved it by living a life in accordance with His Word! All the more reason for us to love and praise Him for having given us all this, although we are not worthy of it, nor ever shall be.
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You can now see how beyond measure His love for us is and, therefore, so should ours be for Him. We now have everything as blessed spirits, except for one thing, which is still missing. And this, my dear brothers and sisters, is the presence of the Lord, visibly, in our midst. So let us beg Him in our hearts to grant us this supreme favor!"
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(The leaders of the party agree with the bishop, but remark): "This is our greatest wish, too, but we are still much too unworthy to hope for its realization. Therefore, we are grateful for what He has given us, although we are not worthy of it, and our desire to see the Lord shall at all times be our highest aspiration!"
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(Bishop Martin): "You are right, dear brothers and sisters. That is what true wisdom demands of us. However, love often overrules wisdom and does what it wants. In this case, I side with love. I suggest you do the same, and you will not go wrong!"