Saturday, June 16, 2007, Wessex, England
Ancestral Estate of the Lancastrians of Wessex
I place my hand against the polished
marble entombment.
Months ago I had desecrated this
solemn place in an act of beyond-the-grave parental defiance.
I ordered him disinterred.
Even though dead, I dishonoured my
father, shattering the Lord's Fourth Holy Commandment.
It was a few weeks prior that I ordered he be removed from the garden
and placed back where he belonged, with several others of the Dukes of
Wessex who ruled over the centuries.
I close my eyes and mumble a few words of penance to the Lord and to my
father.
"Father forgive me...for I knew
not what I did."
Standing behind me watching were James, and the old Inn Keeper who once
had his establishment on this land, the latter, once my father's truest
friend; aside from Simkins, who, now convicted, sits in prison.
I have since asked the Keeper to return, and asked his
forgiveness. With a smile on his face he gladly consented, and
that joyful old place will be resurrected to its former glory.
Now that I have restored my father's dignity, I must fly over three
thousand kilometers to restore my own, once, and for all.
Sunday, June 17, 2007, Jerusalem, Israel
The flight took seemingly countless hours, but I am here,
finally, in a place I have not stepped foot in for over four years.
I vowed then never to return again.
Thank God I have.
Of course, I had had no reason to return, but it was here in April,
2003, that I gave up my last vestige of belief in the Lord, and turned
myself to him who ultimately tried to destroy my life; and my soul.
And nearly succeeded by way of one Marissah Whitely.
Now she is in Hell. Unredeemed. I pity her.
For I shall be redeemed.
I had been largely advised to avoid travel to the region, for good
cause, given the political instability in the near by West Bank and
Gaza Strip. But the cause that brought me here was worth more to
me than my physical safety.
I wore light weight clothing in this arid climate and with map in hand,
made it all the more obvious that I hadn't much of a clue as to where I
was going, but helpful passers by and the odd sign made finding my
destination a bit less troublesome.
The Old Quarter of Jerusalem was every bit as vibrant as I last
recalled. Everything from that April day came flooding back to me
in a rush of memories, sights, smells, and emotions.
If safety and sanity could be guaranteed in this place, I would move to
this city - the true capital of the world, for it is here where
civilizations truly meet, and where history is alive with every waking
breath of this city.
Minutes later, my eyes, shielded behind Ray-Bans, behold the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre. Its light brown stones show its age, and is
very simple. Yet it holds a magnetizing grip on me, and is
imposing not for its exterior, but its interior.
I entered, and crossed myself, and found myself again bombarded, just
as I was then, with sights radiating holiness.
I felt at peace, truly.
The Church was not overly crowded at the moment, giving me more time to
gaze deeply at the icons, the decorations, the spots of veneration all
within.
I quietly walked around when something caught my attention out of the
corner of my eye.
There it was.
I don't know how.
I don't know why; save for it being the Lord's will.
But there it was.
I had to hold my gasp inside my throat so as to not disturb the sacred
silence that permeated this place.
Hanging near one of the altars was my gold Cross necklace, which I left
those years ago.
I wanted it back, badly.
I received it, from my parents, upon my Confirmation and had worn it
everyday of my life until that April day.
How unscrupulous would it be of me to reach up and snatch it, and take
it out of here.
I figured the Lord will understand though.
Subtly I checked my surroundings, ensuring nobody was gazing in my
general direction.
I leaned across one of the altars and removed it off from whence it
hanged, and placed it quickly around my neck.
I turned my head and noticed a monk, looking at me.
I froze.
He stared at me, and I back at him.
A smile formed across his lips and saying nothing, he disappeared.
As if he knew.