Steve was so absorbed in his contemplations that he did not recognize Catherine. When he saw her standing next to him in her blue and yellow dress looking like the sun on a summer day he did not know what to say which was not unusual for him. If he had something to say it would have been stupid anyway. He was enchanted by her beauty.
They sat there like an old couple who had known each other for many years. Steve was just enjoying the sensation. His feelings were rolling like waves over the ocean. He was there lying in the sands getting caressed by the waves. Then he felt Catherine’s hand touching his hair. He felt as if he had been walking through the desert for a long time and an oasis appeared in front of his eyes.
His eyes were closed and he felt as if he was diving into a water pool in a rock. The air was filled with the scent of lavender. Then he saw snow on a pine forest. He was walking with Catherine down a small path toward a hut. Snow flakes fell on his tongue and melted. Steve hoped that this moment would never end.
“Why are you closing your eyes?” asked Catherine and touched Steve’s hand.
Steve didn’t answer, he was still swimming through the vision of love.
“Are we going to Mount Mary together?” Catherine ran her fingers through Steve’s thick, blond hair.
“Yes, yes. We will. The beautiful weather invites people for pilgrimages,” said Steve hoping that this moment of tenderness would last forever.
“I am so looking forward to spring and summer. Floating on the waves of the river and laying in the meadow and listening to the singing of the birds,” said Catherine to her fiancée. Her long hair fell like silk on her delicate shoulders.
“The most beautiful summer will follow us on our pilgrimages,” said Steve.
“I had a beautiful dream today. I dreamt of a ship sailing to the sea of love to collect gifts from God. The ship looked like a flower in spring. Black clouds gathered in the sky and a storm swept over the sea. The ship sank and all the treasures from heaven sank on the sea ground. The treasures fell into shells and turned into pearls over time.” Catherine smiled. She sat straight on the bench, her arm around Steve’s shoulder.
“It sounds to me like a dream from the east in the land of the fisher priest. Brother Benedict promised to take us there this summer,” said Steve contemplating last year’s feast of the assumption of Mary.
“I would like to stay with you on the island in the lake.”
“The liturgical year is carrying me on high wings to heaven but your thoughts take me even higher.”
“The Romans will eventually kill the men of Saint Peter and sacrifice the children to their cruel Gods.”
“They will not Catherine. Maurice and his soldiers will help us to defend the village.”
“We will survive, Steve. Our souls have met in another world. We have to find this world before it is too late.”
“You might be right and our souls met in another world before we were born here on earth. But what happened with our soul sin that world? "
“We do not know. We have no access to the world of the souls.”
“I think the abbot has access to the spiritual world. The feasts of the liturgical year are reflection of this world, Catherine.
“But why do the abbot and monks enter the fountain in front of the monastery at All Saints Day?” asked Catherine.
“It is not a fountain. It is a time transformer. The Underworld or hell is time. The abbot and the worrier monks are defeating time at All Saints Day and travel back to the beginning of the universe to conquer evil…”
“Which threatens the human soul.”
“Pricisely. The abbot has devised a time transformer. He can travel back in time into the world of the souls. Time is a travel back to the creation of our souls. All the feasts of the Liturgical Year are mysteries in reality. We have to the find the meaning of these mysteries.”
“We have to reveal the mysteries of the Bible,” said Catherine.
“The bridal chamber the abbot was talking about lies behind the material world. The room our souls will share in the kingdom of Jesus Christ,” said Catherine.
The shadow of the night fell on Saint Peter.
“Look all the burning candles in the windows. The village looks like a dream,” said Catherine gazing on the candles, which looked like sparks of heaven.
“It is late. I have to go home and get up early to attend the choir in the monastery tomorrow morning for our concert in the church on Sunday.” She kissed Steve goodbye.
That Sunday Steve sat at front to listen to the choir. He closed his eyes and listened carefully to hear Catherine’s voice. Her voice was fine and yet so strong. Heaven and earth and all seasons of the liturgical year gathered in her voice. The voice was the instrument of the soul and Catherine’s voice was the soul of Saint Peter.
The saints watched over the villages like angels protecting its citizens from evil. Steve would follow her voice to the end of the world.
Brother Benedict and Sister Verena sat at the river side. A fisherman carried a big, three meter sturgeon to the shore. The fish had travelled from the Black Sea to the mountain lakes.
A blackbird sat on a tree close to a tree at the river bank.
“I listened to the singing of a blackbird, when I woke up at five o’clock in the morning yesterday,” said Sister Verena, watching the sun shine reflects on a glass filled with apple cider.
“The song of the bird was so beautiful. I could hear a symphony of voices in the background. Heaven was filled with melodies welcoming the new day. The birds know the creator of this beautiful world. I looked out of the window and saw the morning sun covering the early morning with a golden coat. The earth appeared like a beautiful queen bestowed with a new dress from her tailor, nature.”
“Verena, tell me more about Egypt and the hermits and ascetics living in the Scete Desert,” said Brother Benedict looking into her eyes.
“There are eight different lakes and a monastic town. The monks who live in solitude in the desert meet in the town from time to time. The Holy Family came through the Scete Desert when they escaped to Egypt to hide from Herod the Great, who wanted to kill them.
“Herod Antipas hated John the Baptist. He had John arrested because John was complaining about his divorce and marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother. It was against the Jewish law. Herod was also responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. Can you see how dangerous it is to live in Egypt?” said Verena, trying to frighten Brother Benedict.
“Not more than here. The Roman Empire is collapsing. Diocletian blames the Christians for his dwindling power. The Scete desert will protect us. Let’s go to the Scete desert to escape the rules of this decadent Roman Empire,” said Brother Benedict, smiling.
As he did not get any response from Verena he said.
“The solitude of the desert teaches stoic self-discipline which was lived by Jesus Christ when he was fasting in the desert, John the Baptist lived in the desert and might have been the first hermit Christian monk.”
“We might be eaten by the Nile crocodiles. Did you know that they can grow up to the length of a tree?” said Verena and her features became very serious.
“I am more afraid of the Romans than the Nile crocodiles, Verena. There is so much more I want to learn. I have heard from a pilgrim that Macarius met Anthony the Great in the Scete desert. Anthony, the father of the monks, taught him the rules of Monasticism. The Scete desert is where every monk finds his inner self. A pilgrim told me that there is also a coenobitic monastic movement starting and I do not want to miss that. I might learn so much more about gnosis,” said Brother Benedict compassionately.
“The same monastic movement is starting here in Gaul,” said Sister Verena. “Can’t you feel the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ uniting us with our neighbors? The love attracts children who have lost their parents; children come here to find a father and a mother in Saint Peter. Love comes before asceticism, contemplation, solitude knowledge and gnosis. Without l
ove, Christianity is an empty vessel.”
“We could also make excursions and visit Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments,” said Brother Benedict trying to change Verena’s mind.
“Why do you want to go to Mount Sinai when you can visit the holy shrines in the mountains?” “Mount Sinai has become a sacred mountain. It was the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments,” said Brother Benedict.
“Is it God who makes sacred places or human beings?”
“I think humans seeking God makes sacred places,” answered Brother Benedict.
“You are right. Why do you see the holiness in your country? I can see it. It is as if the angels had lived in your country, Benedict and you are seeking God outside your heart,” said Verena.
“The Abbot told us about places of spiritual power around the world where the human soul touches God. One of these power centers is in the desert in Egypt. There are many more of these centers scattered all over the world. Let us find them. We might settle down somewhere and stay forever ” said Benedict.
“Who will look after the orphans when we are away?” asked Verena.
“Steve and Catherine will look after them.”
“They are still young and need our help. I cannot wait to go on a pilgrimage to Mount Mary. The spring weather is marvelous. The paradise appears to be out of sight. I like the valleys and mountains around the Rhone. They are offering the most beautiful sceneries I have ever seen in my life,” said Verena trying to divert the conversation
“Did u see Constantinople on your way from Egypt?” asked Benedict.
“I did not come through Constantinople and Greece. I went through Carthage. From there I took a boat to Italy. I came through Rome and then Milano. From there I crossed the alps into Gaul,” said Verena.
“You should have stayed in the monastery, Benedict.”
“Prayer, Contemplation, Meditation and translate the holy books is not what I want to do anymore,” said Brother Benedict.
“Have you been initiated in all the rites of the Monastic Order?” asked Verena.
“Yes. I have been initiated into some mysteries. If you can change the spiritual world you can change life,” said Brother Benedict.
“So you have been on time travels with the abbot.”
“Yes, but I have not been at the Battle of All Saints if you want to know that. I do not know anything about the battle. Only the abbot and a few chosen monks know the secret. It is a mystery after all. I was teaching ancient Greece and philosophy to the monks in the monastery and was not involved in any protective activities.”
“Ask Brother George. He was a soldier in the Roman army. He refused to worship the Roman Gods and deserted. Diocletian wants him for treason against the Roman Empire. Maurice has a similar faith.
“Maximian threatened to kill his family if he did not go to Agaunum. Brother George and Maurice met in Alexandria and travelled together to Jerusalem, Antioch and Constantinople where they protected many Christian villages. Maurice finally agreed to go to Agaunum. He knew that George was living here and wanted to help his best friend Christianizing the world as Maurice is a devote Christian too.”
At the moment, Ruth ran through the meadow to the fishermen’s hut at the bank of the river saying:
“Verena, quick, Simon is crying. He will not stop.”
It often happened that somebody got upset if Verena was not around. Verena was their mother who gave them the security they needed. They grew around her like ivy around a tree. Without a tree, the ivy would crawl along the earth and never see any sunshine. Verena gave them their lost self-esteem back. She was the only hope in their lives.
Verena and Benedict walked back to the orphanage.
“I am so glad that you are back!” said Catherine, who had been looking after the orphans together with Steve.
“What did we do wrong?” asked Steve who could not manage to control the children.
“Nothing really; the children were just upset because Benedict and I left,” replied Verena, bringing peace and calm into the orphanage.
“Good parents are important to children,” said Verena holding little Catherine in her arms. “Mary and Joseph were good parents to Jesus. Mary was obedient and did everything God asked her to do. Joseph was obedient too and did not go his own way even when he learnt that Jesus was not his physical son. Both of them showed an immaculate character. They are the ideal of good parenthood. If everybody followed their example the world would be a better place. Raising children is the most important thing in life. Children are the salt of the earth and a society without children is lost.”
“The Romans are too lazy to raise their own children,” said Steve angrily. “They use slaves to look after them. The only care about themselves and their fun.”
“The Roman Empire has lost all moral values,” said Brother Benedict, cutting some bread for the children. “The Romans have been fighting a civil war for the last fifty years and they are facing an economic depression of previously unseen proportion. They are struggling with a hyper- inflation. One emperor is succeeds the next, leaving a pile of shards behind. Rather than trying to stabilize the political environment, they increased the number of soldiers by a quarter to control the land. They needed money quickly to pay the officers. The quickest way to increase the volume of money was to cut the silver in coins and add less valuable metals. By the time Diocletian came into power the value of the Roman money was worth next to nothing.”
“But they have a strong army!” said Sister Verena laughing.
“Men who are prepared to kill if you offer them enough money,” said Brother Benedict putting the slices of bread into the bread basket.
Verena took the bread basket from his hand. “Isn’t that sad? Men are prepared to do anything for money. Money is worth more than the lives of innocent children.”
“Money is blood created by people who are captured in the material world. They are blinded by power and greed,” said Brother Benedict.
“There are two different kind of money. In fact, good money is not money. It is value, the values of God opposed to the money of blood. God’s spirit is the source of value reflecting in a society. The bible is full of seeds. You have to find them and they grow in your conscience. A dream emerges and grows into a business under your hard labor. Your prayers are the rain growing your business. This does not apply to farmers alone. However, the earth is the greatest gift of God together with air and water. God made Adam out of earth. The Bible is a source of inspiration, the mystical chemistry of the Holy Spirit interacting with your own thoughts, dreams and feelings thereby creating new values. The energy comes from deep in you, from your soul. God is the value builder, the creator of new ideas. We have to create an environment for children where new ideas can grow. King Bloodstone on the other hand, does not create any values at all. He suppresses the creation of values as he is more concerned about controlling than liberating people. Money destroys money. You can observe that in the Roman society. Their currency, the denarius, used to be valuable, when it was made from true silver. The content of silver diminished in the same way as the values of their society. Their currency is soaked with the blood of innocent people.” Brother Benedict took a piece of cold coal from the fireplace in the kitchen.
“But where has the value in the denarius gone?” asked Steve.
“It has been destroyed by God,” said Brother Benedict. He opened his right hand with the piece of coal.
“Look at this piece of coal. It used to be hard wood. But now it has been burnt out. The substance creating the heat has gone. The same happens with our souls and the souls of our nations and villages if they are not filled with the spirit of God.” He squeezed the coal in his right hand. Black dust crumbled through his fingers.
“The strength has left the wood. The spirit has left the Roman society. All virtues are burnt in the furnace of greed and power, consumed in the fire of selfishness. All is left is a black dry piece o
f coal, a reflection of their Gods who have turned into their enemies.” Brother Benedict wiped the dust from his hands.
“Is there not a value that last forever? Something to give us energy without burning out?” asked Steve.
“The energy of the true God, does not burn out. However, people eventually turn away from the God of mercy, kindness and love and start worshipping their idols which are but a reflection of their own selfishness. They are not from God so they do not last long,” said Brother Benedict.
“The energy of God is like the sun,” said Steve.
“Yes, but much stronger,” replied Brother Benedict.
“Where has the power of the Romans gone?” asked Steve.
“The Roman empire was driven by the gods of life and death fighting over a grave. The god of life was killed by the god of death,” said Brother Benedict.
“A new society is emerging in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is open to all of us and will help us to create new values. Look at our churches. They are full of ideas. Look at our monasteries. They are storehouses of wisdom. Look at the shrines in the mountains; the Bible is transferred into tools of life. They are places of personal transformation changing the lives of people. They will be the raw materials of the spirit to create new values. We will form the revelations into devices the society needs.”
Brother Leo had been listening to the conversation.
“The paintings are not valuable. They are just instruments to help us to get closer to God. The true value is the word of God, the creation of the universe and the walk of human beings through time. God has protected us since the beginning of time. There was only the Holy Spirit floating around in the sea of chaos. God has put the Holy Spirit in the centre of our lives to make order. He loves us unconditionally. His love is greater than what we perceive. He gave us the Bible to study and to learn to distinguish between good and evil and to do the right things. God is true value. We think and God leads. We can only do what he decides to do.”