16th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A

GOOD OR EVIL, YOU’RE CHOICE!

A highly successful human resources manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived in heaven where she was met at the pearly gates by St. Peter himself.
“Welcome to heaven,” said St. Peter…”before you get settled in, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we’ve never once had a human resources manager make it. This far and we’re not really sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” said the woman.

“Well, I’d like to, but I have higher orders. What we’re going to do is let you have a day in hell and a day in heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in.
“Actually, I think I’ve made up my mind, I prefer to stay in heaven”, said the woman.
“sorry, we have rules…”

And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends – Fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played a round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner.
She met the devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the pearly gates….

And she found St. Peter waiting for her. “Now it’s time to spend a day in heaven,” he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on the clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
“So, you’ve spent a day in hell and you’ve spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity.”
The woman paused for a second and then replied, “Well, I never thought I’d say this, I mean, heaven has been really great and all…but I think I had a better time in hell.”

So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and once again she went down-down-down…

And back to hell.

When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her same friends dressed in rags, standing in filth and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks. The devil came up to her and put his arm around her, which seem so hot ready to scale her skin off.

“I don’t understand,” stammered the woman, “yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate stake & lobster, we danced and had a great time… Now all there is a wasteland of filth and garbage… and all my friends look miserable. “The devil looked at her smiled and said…

“YESTERDAY WE WERE RECRUITING YOU, TODAY YOU’RE AN EMPLOYEE“

(http://stories4homilies.wordpress.com/)

The presence of good and evil in this world is real. We all have to choose it, to be good like the wheat planted by God or weeds planted by the evil one. Evil one is already at work in politics that is why we have corruption; we have murders, injustices and many others. This presence of evil is also among individuals. We have denial to what is truth, pamakak! Panglimbong! Pagdaugdaug sa uban are works of evil.

Today my dear friends, we are challenge to be good wheat meaning a good person. In the beginning we are planted by God in this world as good wheat; however, Satan came also and planted in us weeds that destroys our life.

This co-existence of good and evil is a reality. They are even in the church, in workplaces and even in our homes. We must be careful with our own actions, words and even of what we think because Satan is looking for a chance to tempt us. Do not allow Satan do this to you. You choose now! Good or Evil.