Despite the biblical description, "Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction," Heaven would be lightly populated by humans except for the fact Jesus had built the Side Gate, possibly the busiest entrance into Heaven. Jesus knew humanity too well and despite his personal understanding of the Creator's high standards, he realized humanity would need another options. Most people can't walk the narrow path, but often a person has done enough good to allow for other opportunities to step into the fullness of life. When I was a young man, I and a couple of friends, were invited to be part of the team that oversees the activities at the Side Gate. Everyone who approached the Side Gate hoping for a chance to get into Heaven has had to learn and to accept that they need to change and let go of their own will. C. S. Lewis was right when he described the activity of entering Heaven involved a person giving up some habits and beliefs. Anyone who reaches the Side Gate has only to relinquish whatever hampers that person's ability to love others.
Whenever I approach the Side Gate, I need to remind myself that time is a human construct. Only the physical universe is locked into the past, present, future of time. The spiritual universe is outside of time. Approaching Heaven, people and entities from diverse times and places in the physical universe exist in a that time is always the present. As I stand outside the Side Gate, I can see people from throughout history, some people alive in my time on Earth are milling around around the entrance. I can see many individual souls human and other species. Some are petitioners. some are Guides. The petitioners have journeyed through Purgatory falling the specific paths they needed to take to have a deeper understanding of who they are and why they are not ready to enter Heaven. As an individual human makes his or her journey, several Guides are given to help the individual learn from the journey. As I stood at the Side Gate, I could see individuals ready to approach the Gate standing with the assigned Guides.
As I started to find my way through the vast crowd, I heard a voice calling me. "Guardian, Guardian. I am so glad to see you. I've heard about you. I'm sure you know who I am. I need your help." I turned to see a man who I recognized to be a Senator from South Carolina back in my own time. Here he was a supplicant at the Side Gate in the eternal present. I had to stop myself from laughing because he had the funniest group of Guides standing with him.
"Senator," I said, "How can I help you."
"Thank you, thank you," he responded with a tone of relief in his voice from being recognized. "I hope you can explain to these three women that any further consideration of my eligibility to enter Heaven is unnecessary. I don't think they can understand my position. Yes, they have been helpful, but I no longer need their help." He started to walk away from them, but one of the three, the Honorable Annie Oakley, fired a pistol at his feet and he stopped in his tracks. "Now, Ms Oakley, I have appreciated your help in getting me to ..ahuh.. dance through some of my obstacles, but your help isn't necessary if the Guardian who has real authority here is willing to help me."
Still trying not to laugh, "Senator, I'm afraid that I am reluctant to interfere with these three esteemed Guides."
"The Senator is mistaken,' said another one of his Guide's who I knew, Jacqueline Kennedy, "We aren't stopping him from approaching the gate. We are just here to witness his final passage out of our care. The Senator seems reluctant to believe that we know what we are doing, Guardian." I had met Jacqueline before in a journey into a troubled period of American history. I knew from her tone she was expressing some frustration that the Senator could get this far and still have not learned a fullness of humility.
"I, for one," said the third Guide, "am not leaving until he enters Heaven. I have some skepticism about his ability to move on." I asked her name having not met her. "Please to meet you, Guardian, my name is Rosa Parks." I couldn't help but laugh on hearing her name. The Senator had obviously been given strong, unwavering support to help him get this far. Guardians are often assigned with a modicum of irony at play.
"What I pleasure, " I said, "and fully understanding the qualifications of you and your fellow Guides, Mrs. Parks, I don't see what I can do."
Guide Oakley smirked and said, "Yep, we had a difficulty with him learning humility through the numerous struggles to get here. He still doesn't trust us when we say he just has to walk, simple enough, over there." She pointed toward a figure standing near the Side Gate. I turned and understood the problem.
The Senator said, "Guardian, I feel I could easily walk into Heaven with you. I don't see why I need to bother anyone else."
With an increasing sense of sadness as I understood the situation, I tried to be sympathetic, "Every single soul entering Heaven has to accept whomever the Holy Spirit has assigned to greet that individual."
"I'm honored that my dear friend is here to welcome me, but can't I first go inside and catch up with him later?"
"Sorry, that isn't how this works," I replied. "Go on and embrace your old friend and he will take you into Heaven."
The three women motioned suggesting he move along. For the first time, he looked at his old friend, another Senator, who had represented Arizona, smiling and motioning him to come closer. The Senator from SC took a couple of faltering steps and he seemed ready to reach the end of his journey. The closer he came to his friend, the more agitated he became and suddenly, he made a small painful groan, put his face in his hands, and turned back unable to move to his friend. I heard him mutter an angry, " I don't see why this is necessary." He looked at the three women and started to walk away from the Gate. The three women reluctantly followed him and they all disappeared back into Purgatory. I heard one of them say, "Not ready yet," and, as they slipped from sight, several gunshots could be heard. I turned and looked at the man who had waited for him. He stood not moving and I knew he would wait until the troubled Senator was able to stand and look him in the eye.
I heard other voices say, "Look, one of the Guardians is here. Guardian, please help. Guardian." I knew if I didn't move quickly I would be here for a long time. I knew Jesus had sent me here for other business, so I quickly moved beyond the crowd and entered through the Side Gate into Heaven.