Duped
I died and went to heaven,
and as the blinding light and holy fog cleared,
I noticed I was wearing an apron.
I was surprised to see the people in hell,
and I welcomed the irresistible urge to join them in their suffering,
to love them in that way,
powerless to change their situation,
yet drawn to console as best I could,
to companion,
to listen,
to share the pain in silence,
and to share my hope,
my faith,
my belief that the point,
the ultimate point,
is not the suffering, but the connection.
And when he looked up,
I recognized his face as Jesus.