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5/12/2009

Tuesday Tale - Kecharitomene

Part 1

He stumbled along the street on unsteady feet. He was hungry. He was cold. And he was very, very, tired. His tattered overcoat did little to shield his thin and frail body from the bite of the wind that howled through the city. It seemed to reach down in him and draw the breath out of his hollow chest, leaving his heartbeat to fill the empty space with its weakening thum-thump, thum-thump, thum-thump.

Once a priest, he could only but pray. Cast out. By his Parish, his Order, his Church. Forsaken by all who knew him, in the face of a lie. Unjustly accused, there was no one who would defend him and he slowly sank away to derelict abandon.

A lie. The true sin of it all wasn't his. A lie. The tool of the Devil and it fell on him like a hammer. A lie. And there was no way to disprove it. A lie. Confessed to him in the Sacrament. A lie. To tie his hands as surely as the tightest rope.

He thought perhaps he was being punished, for surely God must know him to be innocent, yet God allowed this to persist. He had prayed and prayed. The prayers rolled from his lips in an unending whisper of repentance and pleas for rescue from the vilification of man. No answer ever came. No one stepped forward to put paid the lie and the accusations stood, unchallenged. And he became a pariah. And yet, he prayed. For understanding, so that he would know why he was being punished. For surcease, for surely this was not just. Because it was his life long habit. He never gave up his faith in the justice of his God. Even as he sat down on the curb of the street, and went to sleep. A sleep from which he would never awake.

The conclusion on Thursday.

Ndinombethe.

15 comments:

Jientje said...

Goosebumps.
If there is anything that makes me shiver, or makes me mad, it's injustice, and people being sentenced by it.
I hope he has found his peace.
Very well written, as always.

Audubon Ron said...

I can remember you saying you weren't religious. I think you've been to Sunday school once or twice. Remarkably, the world is filled with injustice and there is a living God. How does that happen? That's a big old long sermon for another day. There is an answer - but nobody likes it.

Audubon Ron said...

I can remember you saying you weren't religious. I think you've been to Sunday school once or twice. Remarkably, the world is filled with injustice and there is a living God. How does that happen? That's a big old long sermon for another day. There is an answer - but nobody likes it.

Shadow said...

wow, this is GOOD! be back thursday... or maybe before then too, heee heee heee

moneythoughts said...

Yes, there is injustice in the world. What do you call an injustice multiplied by six million? A bigger lie?

Loraine said...

Wow. Can't wait to read the rest of this one. You definitely have a way with words...

Patsy said...

A little bit of Job detected here. Wonderful that you carried it forward.

Well written -- but always the English teacher can you clearify the sentence *No one stepped forward to put paid the lie and accusations stood...*

Sage Ravenwood said...

Looking for the next installment dear friend. It's a sad day that something so simple can undo a man and his soul. (Hugs)Indigo

Joyce-Anne said...

Hmm, I'm intrigued, can't wait for Thursday's installment.

Unknown said...

And I have to ask if the fact that he doesn't awaken from his sleep isn't a blessing.

Wonderfully written, Lou. As always. (and the best part is that I had exactly 4 quiet minutes without screaming to actually READ and absorb it!!)

Tara R. said...

You can weave such an enthralling story. It really pulls you into the world you create.

Holly said...

Oh, so sad.

Sometimes I find myself praying for any people or animals who are wrongly imprisoned or restrained.

Unknown said...

Jientje: Thank you, Jientje.

Audubon Ron: I said I wasn't 'religious'. I never said I hadn't practiced.

Shadow: You're welcome anytime.

Moneythoughts: No. The Holocaust.

Loraine: Thank you, Loraine.

Patsy: All will become clear on Thursday.

Indigo: The promises we keep mark us .. make us.

Joyce-Anne: That's good.

Hyphen Mama: That's great. 4 minutes!!

Tara R: Thank you, Tara.

HollyATOM: As do we all, hopefully.

Momisodes said...

My heart weighs heavy just reading this.
Looking forward to the conclusion.

Ree said...

Wowee. Very powerful.