Judgment Day

Today is supposed to be Judgment Day.  I have not followed the news carefully, so I am not sure what is supposed to take place.  I also hear that the end of the world is to follow, on a specific date in October.  It is early morning.  There are no dark clouds on the horizon.  I do not hear any trumpets.  The sky is clear – no legions of angels.  Maybe it will be a quiet judgment.  Or maybe it will come in the mail. 

I had a revelatory experience a few days ago. I have several film cameras and am always taking pictures – a LOT of pictures.  I tend to let the rolls finished rolls accumulate. So, I brought seventeen rolls to a big store in the mall to be developed.  I went back to pick them up a few days ago and the woman behind the desk found all the envelopes but was dismayed because whoever processed the film did not place the prices on any of the envelopes.  She started to get frantic.  I told her not to worry.  She had to open each envelope and count every print.  She was almost finished – it took about twenty minutes – and then she smiled and heaved a sigh of relief.  She then pressed some button on the cash register, and inadvertently deleted all the accounting she had done.  She got very upset, very embarrassed, and said she would have to start over.  I did not mind, but I told her I had to go and would come back in a day or two.  So, I went back later in the week, and she was all smiles.  Everything was ready – it only cost thirty-dollars, which is incredibly cheap.  Then I noticed that she added a lot of extra savings coupons.  I did not really deserve them.  But she smiled and said it was “okay.”  We chatted for a bit.  She is from India and told me that she is from Mumbai and her husband is from farther north in the country.  She also said she was Catholic, when she found out I was from the monastery.  Anyway, she was so friendly.  I am glad that there were no people on line when she pressed the wrong button.  That may have titled things in a very wrong and nasty direction.

So that little mishap had a happy ending.

Now as all that was going on, there were a lot of people who were taking in the Judgment Day news with no small measure of fear.  I read stories about the supposedly coming Judgment causing division in families.  Believers arguing with non-believers to the point where people took sides and now they are no longer speaking with each other.  So much for the unifying grace of religious aspirations.

Well, I confess I did not take it seriously.  I have a feeling that some of the monks looked to have some sweat on their brows.  But we are all still talking with each other, though the day has a ways to go.  Maybe the trumpets will blare after lunch.

I have some more film to be developed.  I told the Indian lady I would be back during the week.  I do not care if she presses the wrong button again.  It will give us time to talk.  I want to ask her about India.  I do not think they have a Judgment Day, at least not one that is akin to ours. 

Well, if we get past this day, I will head down to the store soon and bring my film. I have a feeling she will avoid the delete button.  Perhaps she has discussed the mishap with the worker who originally ran the bar code tickets. 

Maybe God forgot about Judgment Day.  Or is giving us all a reprieve.  Well, we have several months till October.  Big Delete Day. 

God is good.  Maybe he has coupons to give.  A lease on life, a discount on everything.  A new beginning.  For everybody.  Everywhere.