On morning, Saint Peter awoke with a great desire to be God just for one day. Obviously he did not dare express this crazy ambition to anyone, but God, who reads the secrets of our hearts, realized what Peter wanted. So He approached Peter and, “Do you believe it is easy to be God?” “No, I don’t, but frankly, I would like to be given a try! Just for a little while. Just one single day! You know, to be able to run the show on my own. To be in charge of everything! It must be a great feeling…”
“Very well”, answered God smugly. “For one day you will sit on my throne. You can even start just now. You are in charge of the whole world.” Peter couldn’t believe his ears. His ultimate ambition! Finally he could climb on the mighty golden throne of God in heaven. He was thrilled. From that vantage point, he could oversee everything – the entire earth, the cities, the people. Everything was exposed in front of his very eyes. Fantastic!
As he was glancing around, his eyes fell upon an old woman who was tending a small flock of sheep. A guy passed by and after chatting for a while, the old shepherdess remarked, “I must leave you now. I am hungry… I am going home to eat.” “What about the sheep? Are you going to leave them unattended?” asked the man. “Oh no! God will look after them!” replied philosophically the woman.
Peter, aware of the serious responsibility he had undertaken, decided to look personally into this matter. So he left his throne and went down there. No one can be disappointed if one trusts in God. “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you” (Ps 9,10).
Everything was quiet for a while but then a few wasps had the brilliant idea of approaching the ram. The ram, bitten and annoyed, first started kicking wildly and then rushed off crazily away from the field. Obviously the entire flock followed him! “Oh no!” voiced loudly Saint Peter. “Look, what a mess I have put myself in! I must fix this mayhem immediately, otherwise what kind of a god I am!!” And so he dashed like mad chasing the ram! _
What a race! He slipped in a puddle and got drenched in a muddy pool, he nearly snapped a leg trying to leap over a fence, he missed a foothold and tumbled over a garbage can! A real messy ordeal! But finally he managed to catch the ram. He calmed him down and brought all the flock back to the field just in time for the old woman who was coming back from her snack.
Exhausted and filthy, Peter returned to heaven. He slumped into the heavenly throne and looked dismally again over the world. Just then God happened to pass by and brightly asked Peter how his day was going on. “Awful!” Peter retorted. “I was just going to call you! I give up! I resign. Let’s be realistic. If helping one old woman took so much energy out of me, what will happen at the end of the day?! No, no, no. You take your place… I shall return to my rank!”
So ended Peter’s adventure on the throne of God … with an early abdication!
It is not easy to be God. Pride is not only sinful. It is also farcical.
Let us leave Him in charge of our lives and the lives of those whom we love. We don’t even have to solve every problem or find each solution. Let us just offer up our ignorance and helplessness. He will then grab us.. and all will be well. Let us let God be God in our lives also! Amen!