The Gate Keeper and The One Kept Out

I absolutely loved our readings for tomorrow. While "The Abbot and The Learned Lady" was brilliant, my favorite has to be "Julius Excluded from Heaven." I read this in highschool but reading it a second time was even better. The reason I love it so much is because there is so much great truth expressed by Peter as he completely takes Julius apart.

Of all of the great come-backs, though, the best moment for me is when Peter addresses Julius' outer garments (his keys, his crown, and his cloak). He takes each article and explains how they are unimportant and insufficient for getting him into heaven. But after that Peter makes this remark, "In all of this stuff-the key, the crown, the cloak-I recognize marks of that rascally cheat and impostor who shared a name with me but not a faith, that scoundrel Simon whom I once flung down with the aid of Christ."

Here Peter displays every quality that Julius lacks. He shows a complete knowledge of what things are truly eternal, a great humility in remembering his old self, and a total dependence upon Christ. It is precisely for this reason that Peter is the gate-keeper while Julius is the one kept out of the gate.

P.S. I commented on Abbey's post.