"Heaven on Earth"

G-d is not far away in some golden heaven, ruling some distant Paradise. G-d is here with us. Always has been. Always will be. Because G-d's Heaven is on Earth.

"Heaven on Earth"

G-d's on the subway, She's coming home from work. It's crowded she couldn't get a seat again. She has a headache, and her feet are killing her. G-d makes another mental note to do something about urban congestion, and stress.

She's been noticing this problem since "Ur", or was it Babylon? Anyway it was that time she was a snake charmer. Ah,...the carnivals, the music, the theatre. These are just about the best things humanity has come up with. It's among the reasons she loves them so much.

It's their "saving grace",...literally.

The train pulls into G-d's station. She has to struggle her way out of the crowded car. No one will get out of her way. Manners, and polite consideration still haven't caught on. At least not consistently. Still, they are learning, her children. They are trying. G-d joins the wave of tired people coming home from work or school or mischief, and they ascend together out of the tunnel.

On her way home G-d does some lite shopping at Her favorite deli. She picks up a pint of vanilla ice cream,...with almonds. Some oranges, a box of mint tea. You know, the brand with all the nice pictures on 'em. Some bread sticks, and dried figs. All the major food groups.

G-d browse's Her way to the counter, and pays for the goods in Aztec jade, Roman silver, and Confederate bank notes. The Jamaican family that owns, and runs the deli are used to their 'special' customer paying in odd currencies.

The dreadlocked woman behind the register gives G-d her change in Barbados dollars, American dimes, and Australian pennies.

The two are friends, the clerk, and G-d.

So they stand awhile exchanging gossip, and other pleasantries which are cut short by the needs of the other customers. G-d adds a lotto ticket, and some chap stick to her purchase's.

Outside the deli G-d sees a homeless man begging for change.

G-d knows him, his name is Thomas. G-d remembered when he was conceived. She was there when he was born, and She's been with him ever since. Though Thomas doesn't remember it 'once upon a time' his name was Bartholomew, and he is an Angel.

One day he'll remember that, but for now G-d smiled at him, and put a silver shekel once earned by a certain Judean carpenter into his cup.

G-d blinked, and there was Light. G-d sang, and there was Life. G-d smiled, and there was Love.

The "Lord of Hosts" got to her building. She lived on the top floor of a six story walk up. G-d liked living up there because it was convenient to the roof. In summer, and spring if it wasn't raining she'd spread a blanket, and lay there.

She'd lay on her blanket, and watch Her sky, Her clouds, and at night Her moon, and Her stars. How she loved them,..as she did all Her children.

G-d quickly walked up the stairwell concerned that her ice cream might melt. As She went She passed through, and enjoyed the aroma's of the cooking of half a dozen ethnic groups. Her neighbors were preparing, and settling down for their evening meals.

The "Divine" enjoyed not only that, but the music the symphony of all their languages, and emotions. Well, G-d finally got to Her apartment,..6-B. She put Her key into her triple "Medico" lock, and entered.

Cain, and Able her Persian cats we're waiting for her, and meowing indignantly! It was well past their dinner time, and they were more than slightly annoyed.

Cain, and Able didn't care if She was G-d,.. 'they' were cats, and they were hungry.
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"LISTENING"

The G-d of Abraham, the Lord of Gandhi, the Mother Creator of all that was is or will be was on the roof of Her apartment. She was sitting in a lawn chair,..listening. It was well past midnight, and it was snowing. The sharp winter winds blew around her.

G-d was looking out over the city, and listening to prayers. The "Lord Creator" listened to prayers the way people listened to the radio. The music of souls was in the air. The sky was bathed in prayer. They danced over the city like bright aurora's.

G-d watched, and listened. She listened to each, and every one.
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"REVELATION"

The "Lord of Creation" was on a downtown bus, She was headed to a dentists appointment. Some of Her fillings were loose. G-d was seated on one of those hard plastic bench's toward the back, and was looking out the window.

The ebb, and flow of the traffic reminded Her of the starting, and sudden stop of schools of fish. The "Lord" couldn't help, but beam,...She smiled despite the bad fillings. For She loved all of Her children so...,from the smallest creatures on the bottom of the sea to the bus driver that was battling the traffic.

G-d turned, and looked around the bus. She saw that almost all the tribes of humanity were here. Yes, New York, Constantinople, Babylon how they gathered the family together. She enjoyed her time in all of them.

The children of Eve. Here they were on this downtown bus. There was a Russian plumber filling out a lotto ticket. A young African school girl telling secrets to her best friend. A Korean house painter idly cleaning plaster from under his finger nails. There at the side were two Mexican women in animated conversation about the new bookstore they were going to open.

And,.. an old woman, a woman who had lived most of her life in rural China. She was staring. Staring at "Her", ...G-d. The woman looked from behind dark crinkled lids with clear brown eyes. Eyes that held recognition.

"I see You."

Eyes that beheld "G-d Almighty" on a bouncing downtown bus on an unremarkable day.

This didn't happen often, being seen, being "recognized." When it did it was usually small children or the dying. Those closest to transition, either entering or leaving this life. 'Children, the Dying' This woman that saw Her, ...saw G-d was neither.

Her name was Violet. This woman who could see, ...who could behold the "Creator of the Heavens, and the Earth.

When she was very young Violet was a soldier. She saw much suffering, terrible grief. Then later she loved, became a mother. Then a student, then a healer.

Violet spent most of her life as an herbalist. She learned how the Earth itself was a life giving organism. She used her knowledge of this to cure illness, assist childbirth, and ease death.

G-d, and Violet just sat, and beheld each other as New York blared, and blinked around them. Till at last Violet asked G-d, asked in a calm voice, ..."Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Almighty G-d" She who laid the foundations of Worlds, looked at Violet with just a touch of a gentle smile on her lips, and said, ..."Yes."

Violet thought about G-d's answer as the bus waited for a stream of police cars, and fire engines, their sirens screaming, to pass. In a few minutes they were moving again. The bus eventually pulled up to Union Square the Violet's stop.

She got up to leave, but turned at the last moment, and asked G-d,.. "Are you happy?" The "Maker of All Things" thought a moment, and said ,.."We'll speak again in your dreams." The woman nodded, and went on her way.

That night her mouth still numb from the Novocain. G-d thought about Violets last question. "Am I happy?" How wise Her children were. Happiness was the whole point of creation.

Happiness, joy, fulfilment, the Lord smiled. "Oprah is closer to the 'Truth' than she knows", but still, is the Creator happy?

Cain, and Able God's cats meowed loudly. They were demanding attention, 'and' their dinner. A better brand of kitty litter would be nice too.

She who painted the void with fire, and hope knelt on her kitchen floor. The Founder of Dreams fed her dear companions. She looked out of her window, and saw that the night sky danced again with bright aurora's of prayers.

She will listen. Yes G-d will listen again to the Dreams, and Nightmares of Her children. G-d who made the stars shine, and galaxies spin will listen to the prayers of the world. Though tonight she will pray too.

Tonight God will Pray 'with' Her Children.



"HEAVEN ON EARTH"

Epilogue,

G-d is not far away in some golden heaven, ruling some distant Paradise. G-d is here with us. Always has been. Always will be. Because G-d's Heaven is on Earth.


The blue, and fruitful world continued to sail around it's golden sun. Life went on with all it's joys, sorrows, and mysteries. The years gathered into centuries. The centuries into millennia, and the millennia into ages. Ages that melted mountains, lowered, and raised seas, and rearranged the stars.

In this time all life was in the sea, as it was in the beginning. Humanity had long since transcended to their bright realities. Oh! How that pleased G-d! She was still with them, and loved them in their new realms.

Though She'd followed her children as they scattered themselves amongst the stars. She still remembered, and abided on the earth. Now She dwelled in the seas with her newer children. This as the land rested, and healed from it's long work.

G-d, the maker of Worlds, the founder of Dreams swam in clouds of plankton. She maneuvered amongst schools of fish, burrowed with worms, swayed with sea weed, 'and' Contemplated with Whales. Whales.., and the others of their kind were the next of Her children who would find their way to the stars.

She would learn with them, wonder with them, pray with them till at last they too found their bright place in eternity. She would do this for them as She had for all of Her children on all of the Earths.

With Patients She would Watch.

With Patients She would Guide.

With Patients She would Love.

Amen.