State Of Grace

Now there is more to the story of being in the state of grace in order to see a shooting star or a falling star.  My sister Maureen was the one who told me this.  Living in the Bronx, there were lots of street lights along our block.  There was air pollution even back then.  So it was very difficult to see much of anything up in the sky at night.  Maureen took me up there now and again in the dark and I would look for a falling star.  I told her I never saw one.  She said it is because I am not in the state of grace. I asked her, "If I am not in the state of grace how do I get to heaven"?  "YOU don't," she curtly answered.  When it came time for First Holy Communion, I had to go to First Confession before I could receive communion.  I confessed my sins.  I received absolution.  Just before the priest closed the screen door to my confessional, I blurted out, "I am now in the state of grace?"  "Of course you are," he said.  It felt good.  Yet, I had not seen a falling star in my lifetime.  That night, after dark, I asked Maureen to take me to the roof for a look at the sky.  No clouds were visible.  I said, "I went to First Confession and the priest said I was in the state of grace."  "We will give it a test," she said.  When we got to the roof, I looked up at the sky.  Maureen did too.  Suddenly, there it was, in an instant.  A shooting star with a long tail.  "Look Maureen," I shouted, "I am in the state of grace."  She looked at me and chagrined, "God certainly has lowered his standards."  I received my First Holy Communion a few days later, and many more communions since.  I like a religion with lower standards.  I meet some of the most interesting people there.  Heck! I would never have ben ordained if God wanted perfection or some elite status for the flock.